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Witness says CASA mentor kept them in school and connected to community
Summary
A witness testified that a CASA worker's presence and goal-setting helped them stay in school and remain active in their community after time in foster care, noting they first met the mentor at age 14 and that the COSTS program played a role in their support.
A witness told the meeting that a CASA worker helped keep them in school and involved in their community, crediting the mentor with helping set goals that prevented them from giving up on their education.
"If I didn't have a CASA worker, there's no doubt that I would have probably gave up on my education," the witness said, adding that they "would not be involved in my community the way I am right now." The speaker said they were in the foster care system and "was lucky enough to benefit from having a Casa mentor when I was 14."
The witness recounted a small but meaningful first interaction: "The 1st time me and my Casa met was on my birthday. I don't think that they knew it was my birthday, but we went and got ice cream, which at that time meant the world to me. It still does." They described the mentor's practical support: "One of the most impactful things that my CASA worker did for me was presence, availability, [and] push for goals. He helped me set goals."
The speaker also referenced the "COSTS program," saying that without it their "purpose and everything that an individual wants in this life would have probably been abandoned and lost." The transcript provides no further detail about the COSTS program or any formal action taken by the meeting in response.
The witness's remarks were recorded as part of the meeting's public testimony; no vote or formal decision is recorded in the provided transcript.
