On March 9, Superior Court Judge Timothy Schmal swore in nine community members as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care.
All completed CASA’s 35-hour training program.
CASA officers: Sesario Escoto, clockwise, Heather Henricks, Andrea Willy, and Phuong Mayer.
CASA of Santa Cruz County recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer Advocates who are matched one on one with a child in the county’s dependency (foster care) court system advocating for them the entire time they have a case open with the Court.
As officers of the Court, CASA volunteers ensure that the children’s needs are recognized and their best interests are considered in the courtroom, school, and in the community.
There is a great need for bilingual and male volunteers, and people from all cultures and professions and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds are welcome to learn more.
For information, call Clarita Cortes at (831) 761-2956, ext. 102, or visit www.casaofsantacruz.org/volunteer
The CASA board on March 8 elected officers: Andrea Willy, president, Sesario Escoto, vice president, Phuong Mayer, treasurer, and Heather Henricks, secretary.
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TOP PHOTO: CASA advocates for children from top left: Melanie Walters, trainer Jenny Hundemer, Jim Engelman, Hadi Mehdi, Bonnie Friedenbach, Donna Le Fever, outreach manager Clarita Cortes, Melanie Worthy, Gail Marzolf, Judge Timothy Schmal, Caitlin Mehdi. Missing from the photo: Debra DeRoos.