CASA helps get a child's education back on track

Approaching retirement, Jimmy Stout made plans to use his time to give back to his community. Recognizing that many children find themselves in tough situations due to no fault of their own, he wanted to devote his efforts to helping kids

overcome difficult circumstances. Stout decided that volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) was a good fit.

Child abuse and neglect take many forms, including educational neglect. Halfway through the calendar year, CASA of the River Region has already seen as many cases involving educational neglect as in all of 2023. Stout dealt with this topic in his first outing as a CASA. "My first case was a child who had failed the seventh grade due to attendance problems. I met with the school counselor and was informed that the child was so far behind, that he would fail the seventh grade for a second time," shared Stout. Unwilling to accept this as the only possible outcome, he asked what else could be done and advocated on behalf of the child. The counselor brought in the assistant principal, head of the school's Course Recovery Program, as well as the child. A program that included work to be performed at school, at home, and to be finished in summer school was offered. The child committed to the plan and Stout was there to support him.

Stout proudly added, "Not only did he complete the fifty hours of course recovery work, he improved his grades so drastically in the fourth grading period that he was able to be promoted to the eighth grade without attending summer school! And on numerous occasions, this young man told me how happy he was to be back in school and making new friends."

Stout feels that serving as a CASA and witnessing what the child achieved with some care and support has made him a better person. He wants to continue to try to help others in similar situations.

Unfortunately, there are nearly 250 more children waiting for a caring adult to step up and advocate for their best interests the way Jimmy Stout stepped up in his first CASA case. CASA provides everyday citizens with training and support to become effective advocates for children in a variety of settings. YOU could be that someone who helps change the story for a child. Contact our Training Manager, Eugina, at eugina@casarr.org or visit our website to learn more about the role of a CASA, upcoming classroom sessions, and flexible training options.