Story of Hope: June's Impact
September Advocate Impact Story
Written By: June's Advocate Supervisor
Julie, and her little brother Nico, were tired after a church event one fall night in 2015. They fell asleep in their parent’s bed because their beds were covered with laundry. Julie awakened in the night to the feel of her stepfather sexually assaulting her. She tried to push him away, but he persisted even though Julie’s mother was in the same bed. Julie told her mother the next morning, but her mother did not believe her and told her she had probably been dreaming. CPS and law enforcement investigated and removed the children from the house. Julie’s stepfather was arrested and then released on bond.
Two years later, CPS became involved again when they were alerted that the children’s mother had moved herself and the children back in with her husband, even though he was awaiting trial for indecency with a child. The judge specially requested CASA, and June, one of our Volunteer Advocates, signed on to the case.
June quickly got to know her CASA kids and began advocating for their needs. Both kids had excessive absences, so June encouraged their kinship placement to take them regularly to school. When Nico struggled with homework, June went to his placement and helped him work through all his make-up assignments. When their therapist was unable to continue working with them, June was able to ensure that both kids quickly began sessions with a new trauma therapist.
When Nico struggled with homework, June went to his placement and helped him work through all his make-up assignments.
June also observed parent/child visits and relayed concerns about Julie’s mother pressuring Julie to forgive her stepfather for sexually abusing her. She attended the stepfather’s criminal hearings to support Julie, who was the key witness for the prosecution. At one chaotic pre-trial hearing, the family was pressuring Julie in the court hallway and June stepped in and asked the prosecutor for a private waiting room to protect Julie. After that hearing, Julie was removed from her kinship placement by CPS. June went with Julie and her caseworker from the courthouse to CPS, and consoled Julie for hours while a new placement was arranged. Soon after that, Nico was also removed from kinship placement.
The week-long jury trials for the stepfather’s criminal case and for the CPS case were held back to back in the summer of 2019. June provided the ADA’s with evidence in the father’s criminal trial. She attended the “adoption ceremony” held by Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) for Julie prior to Julie’s testimony. She supported Julie throughout both trials and stood right beside her as Julie bravely gave her victim impact statement in criminal court.
June testified about the children’s best interests for almost an hour at the CPS jury trial and her testimony was crucial in securing the termination of parental rights. June was there to support Nico when CPS informed him that his father had been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. June has been an incredible support to her CASA kids and has steadfastly advocated for their best interests throughout her case. Their CPS case is now on appeal, but June is determined to stay Julie and Nico’s CASA Advocate until they each celebrate their adoption day.
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Emily Benedict: Championing College Dreams for Youth in Care Emily Benedict has always believed deeply in the power of higher education and has a passion for making college access a reality—especially for youth in foster care. When she expressed interest in taking on a second CASA case, she was clear about her goal: she wanted to work with a youth on the college docket, helping them navigate the complex path toward applying to and enrolling in college. In August of last year, Emily was matched with a 16-year-old youth living at Connections in New Braunfels. The teen had spent several years in care, with her parents’ rights terminated and a previous kinship placement having broken down. Though she had two siblings, she was no longer in contact with them. From their first meeting, a strong connection grew between Emily and her youth—especially during a Clifton Strengths event hosted at CASA. As the school year kicked off, Emily quickly stepped in to advocate for her youth’s education. She connected with school counselors, began tracking her youth’s grades and attendance, and stepped up when she learned the teen was failing two classes due to a lack of access to technology. Emily secured a Chromebook and printer through CASA, ensuring her youth had the tools to succeed. With weekly check-ins, academic encouragement, and consistent support, her youth turned things around—eventually getting back on track to graduate a year early . Knowing college was the goal, Emily helped prepare her youth for the journey ahead. She shared opportunities for SAT prep, researched application deadlines, supported her through the FAFSA process, and made sure every college application was submitted on time. She also enrolled her in the PAL program, arranged campus tours, and even ensured she had the required immunizations for enrollment. Emily didn’t stop there—she helped her youth open a bank account and advocated tirelessly with the caseworker to get her into a driver’s ed program. Throughout the year, Emily also supported her youth emotionally. She helped her process complex feelings about being separated from her siblings and successfully facilitated a visit—opening the door to renewed phone and virtual contact. Just weeks before graduation, the youth’s placement at her residential facility fell through, and she began couch-surfing with friends. Emily didn’t miss a beat. She stayed in close contact with the youth’s support team—including her caseworker, attorney, and college docket facilitators—keeping everyone updated and focused on solutions. She explored housing options, called multiple facilities, and even reached out to colleges to see if the teen could move into a dorm early. Though dorms were restricted to 18+, Emily remained determined. She arranged a meeting between the teen and Judge Montemayor, who encouraged her to finish her final week of school and graduate—assuring her of continued support while placement was pending. Soon after, Emily discovered Lifeworks in Austin, a program offering housing, counseling, education, and workforce support. She helped secure a spot, drove her youth around town to collect belongings, and personally transported her on move-in day—returning the next day to check in. Emily proudly attended the teen’s graduation at the end of May. She is now helping her enroll in an online course for the fall semester, giving her a head start on college before she turns 18 in November and transitions into a Supervised Independent Living (SIL) dorm. Through every setback and success, Emily has remained a steady, empowering force—amplifying her youth’s voice, championing her goals, and proving the life-changing impact of one dedicated CASA volunteer.
Sherri Lee Boos
