📚 Beyond the Backpack: Kids Need Advocates to Succeed at School — and in Life

(Sponsored Content)
As the back-to-school season begins, many children walk into classrooms with brand-new backpacks filled with pencils, notebooks, and glue sticks. These tools help set the stage for a successful year. But for some children—those facing trauma, instability, or life in foster care—a backpack isn’t enough.

These children don’t just need supplies.
They need safety.
They need stability.
They need someone to listen, understand, and speak up for their best interests.
They need a Court Appointed Special Advocate (aka CASA).

Henrico CASA advocates for up to 400 children each year. This isn’t just a number, as each case represents a child’s personal story, including their unique experiences and challenges. Below are the stories of three specific children whose lives—and learning paths—were transformed with the help of a CASA Advocate:

Carly’s Story: Back in the Classroom

Police found Carly wandering the streets at night with no adult supervision. This led to the discovery that Carly’s family was homeless, and she was enduring physical and emotional abuse. Carly’s mother claimed to be homeschooling Carly because of medical issues — but when Carly was assigned a CASA Advocate, he quickly discovered the truth: Carly wasn’t receiving any education at all.

This Advocate knew that school isn’t just about academics; it’s about structure, stability, and essential social and emotional growth. After speaking with Carly’s doctors, her Advocate confirmed that there were no medical reasons preventing Carly from attending school. 

Today, Carly is back in the classroom. Though she’s behind academically, she’s making progress—and more importantly, she’s making friends and learning how to thrive among her peers. Thanks to her CASA Advocate, Carly is back on track to meet her educational milestones.

Destiny’s Story: From Panic to Progress

When Destiny stopped attending school, it wasn’t because she didn’t care about her education. She was battling debilitating panic attacks. Her mother, also struggling with anxiety, allowed Destiny to stay home day after day. Destiny received no schooling, no treatment, and no reprieve from the domestic violence she witnessed between her mother and her mother’s boyfriend.

By the time Henrico CASA was appointed to her case, Destiny felt isolated and hopeless.

Her CASA Advocate stepped in to help Destiny and her mother see anxiety not as a weakness—but as a treatable condition. Destiny began seeing a therapist. With ongoing support from her Advocate and therapist, she gained the confidence to speak about the violence she’d witnessed and began building coping skills to manage her symptoms.

Destiny returned to school—just in time for her senior year. Destiny’s CASA Advocate had helped her shift from simply surviving to truly living—and learning!

Sam’s Story: Seeing Beyond the Diagnosis

When Sam moved into a foster home, he brought disruptive behaviors and a track record of poor school performance with him. He was diagnosed with ADHD because he had trouble sleeping, focusing in class, and staying on task—all behaviors consistent with the diagnosis. But as Sam’s CASA Advocate spent more and more time with Sam, she started to wonder…

Was Sam’s historical lack of focus at school because of ADHD? Or had he been distracted by hunger pangs that kept him from concentrating?

Was he too hyperactive to rest? Or was he avoiding sleep because it triggered memories of past trauma?

 Over time, as Sam adjusted to the safety and stability of his foster home, it became clear: Sam’s challenges stemmed not from ADHD, but from the effects of trauma. His treatment plan shifted. Medication was replaced with play therapy. And with the right support, Sam began to thrive in school.

You Can Be the Difference

Every child deserves the chance to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. But that path is harder for children in foster care or involved in the court system. They need someone in their corner—someone consistent, compassionate, and trained to speak up for their best interests.

They need YOU.

As the number of children in need of an Advocate grows, Henrico CASA’s need for more volunteers also rises. Advocates are hosting a virtual information session to explain how you can become a powerful force in a child’s life. We provide all the training you need. All you need is time, compassion, and a willingness to show up.

📅 Register for the upcoming Volunteer Information Session on August 4 @ 12pm. We’ll answer your questions, explain the process, and help you take the first step toward changing a child’s life.