At CASA of Kent County, we embrace five values that drive our work: Be Curious, Forge Community Connections, Strive for Excellence, Take the Next Right Step, and Believe in CASA’s Mission. Earlier this year, Executive Director Stephanie Sheler asked staff members to decorate their doors to represent each of those values. Some were more enthused than others by the thought of arts and crafts, but everyone jumped in with unique ideas of how to represent their assigned value.
In addition to being a team bonding activity, this served as an opportunity for a friendly competition. Naturally, CASA brought in Kent County staff to judge each door and crown a winner. After a tight race, Daliecia Conkle and Leah Rettig were awarded first place for their design representing “Forge Community Connections.”
Daliecia described the intricacies of the door in her speech to the judges:
“The tree represents the child’s eco system and support network. The roots are the foundational values and human needs that nourish healthy growth—trust, safety, justice, curiosity, and advocacy. The roots matter because a lot of the real work of a CASA is invisible relationship building. The trunk and branches become the structure holding everything together—which represents CASA helping to connect fragmented systems into something stable and living. The leaves are the community connections surrounding a child—schools, therapists, CASA volunteers, parents, staff, etc. That’s the forging part… Individually, they’re simply scattered “leaves”, together they become a canopy. The nest symbolizes belonging, stability, safety, and home. Children soar when a connected network supports them. The birds leaving the tree is the outcome…children gaining a voice and the ability to move forward.”
Leah and Daliecia’s design encapsulates what CASA’s mission is all about- building a deep-rooted network of support so that no child feels they are alone or without a voice. The advocacy of CASA volunteers allows children to not only belong and grow, but also “soar.”
As the CASA staff member in charge of volunteer recruitment, I get a lot of questions about what training is like. So, I decided to find out for myself! I attended all five weeks of training, completed online pre-work, observed a court hearing, and was even sworn in as an officer of the court.
Noah* was just fifteen years old when an increasingly tumultuous relationship with his parents escalated. Eventually, they permanently kicked him...
Growing up, I was very close to my cousin Stacey. We were only a few years apart, and we saw each other almost weekly. Stacey lived on one side of a...
Being an informed community member will better equip you to advocate for vulnerable children in our community. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date on CASA of Kent County news, stories, events, and more. We promise not to overwhelm you with too many emails!
"*" indicates required fields