Volunteer of the Month July 2025

I am pleased to introduce Nya Lewis as the CASA Volunteer of the month. Nya was inspired to join CASA by her uncle, who served as a CASA volunteer in the early 2000s. Although she initially knew little about CASA, Nya’s mother encouraged her to get involved due to her love for children. At that time, Nya was an undergraduate student at Southern University A&M College, studying animal science. She completed her CASA pre-service training in October 2022.

Nya has volunteered as a CASA for 3 years and has managed 2 cases during that time. She balances her responsibilities as a CASA while pursuing a master’s degree in biomedical science. Currently, she is assigned to a 10-year-old boy named Warren, who entered foster care due to physical abuse by his father, neglect, and inadequate supervision by his mother, due to her being incarcerated at the time he entered foster care.

Initially, Nya reached out to Warren’s paternal relatives, who were identified as potential placement options. She gathered information to determine what would be in Warren’s best interest and advocated for his overall well-being. Nya met with Warren to build a rapport, and they instantly connected. She recognized the deep love Warren had for his parents and relatives, especially his paternal aunt, Ms. Washington, who was his current caregiver. As a result, Nya advocated for him to receive counseling to help him express his emotions without feeling guilty. Nya receives frequent calls from Ms. Washington when she needs clarity on the outcome of the court hearings or requires general information about Warren. This level of comfort stems from Nya’s genuine concern for Warren. Nya also has a professional working relationship with DCFS. She collaborated with DCFS for Warren to have overnight visits with his mother once she was released from jail and demonstrated she had secured a safe and stable environment for Warren.

In addition, Nya pushed for extra educational support services when she noticed that although Warren did not demonstrate any academic concerns, he could benefit from accommodation due to behaviors that might interfere with his school performance. Throughout the year, Warren’s teachers informed Nya that he was a model student.

I am pleased to announce that Nya has been chosen as the Volunteer of the Month. Her dedicated advocacy work has helped Warren improve his overall academic performance, maintain a healthy relationship with his parents, and stay in a safe and stable environment with Ms. Washington until he can officially transition to his mother’s custody. Congratulations, Nya!

Proud Advocate Supervisor

Sharon Norwood