Making a Difference in a Child’s Life

One Court Appointed Special Advocate’s Story

Moving back to Santa Cruz County after raising her two children “over the hill,” brought back lots of wonderful childhood memories for Teri Hessel. “My brothers and I loved growing up in Capitola,” she said. “We were always outside — playing in the creek, or splashing around in the lagoon in Capitola.”

Coming home also meant Teri could move forward on her desire to get involved in the community. “I wanted a volunteer experience that was really relationship-driven,” Teri said. “Everywhere I went, I read or saw something about CASA. It was like the universe was putting CASA right in front of me.”

Six months ago, after attending a 5-week training and being sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care, Teri was matched with a 14-year-old girl. Teri said, “I initially thought I’d choose a younger child. But the minute I read this file, and saw this young girl’s need, I knew she was the one for me.”

Teri spends time with her CASA girl every week, and after six months together, Teri said she feels “fiercely protective, and fiercely invested” in this young girl. She is constantly amazed at her girl’s resilience, her positive outlook on her life (after all the trauma she’s experienced) and, as Teri describes it, “her bravery.”

In describing her experience as an Advocate, Teri said, “It can break your heart in a hundred different ways, and it’s completely worth it.” She said sometimes she wonders if she’s doing all she can for her girl. But for now, Teri remains “absolutely consistent, punctual and reliable. And just those things seem to mean more to my girl than anything else.”

CASA is a child’s voice in dependency court, providing advocacy, stability, and hope to children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. To learn more about volunteering for CASA of Santa Cruz County, go to www.casaofsantacruz.org and click on Volunteer.