Former CASA Youth Shares Her Story
by Stacy Miller
My name is Stacy Miller. I was about 13 years
old when my sister and I went to live out-of-state at Mooseheart, which is a “child city,”or
a modern day orphanage for children of all
ages. I was very nervous and didn't know
what to expect. One of the counselors was
waiting for us at the main
office. She took my sister
and I to the barn where I was
able to pet all of the horses.
Shortly after that I joined 4-H for horses and competed
in two county competitions.
The first year I went, I won two
first place ribbons for Flag and Barrel racing.
I was very happy living there, but about two
years later, my stay at Mooseheart ended. I
started having flashbacks of my past, began
self-mutilating and attempting suicide, and
Mooseheart was not able to provide me
with the help I needed. That is when I was
sent back to Texas to my grandparents, who
also were not equipped to help me with my
situation.
I was then placed in Texas state custody and went to live at Teen Connection until my caseworker found a foster home for me. CASA entered my life at that point. My CASA worker visited with me frequently, and I always looked forward to the next visit. We went on many trips while I was in placement, to the zoo and wildlife safari. My CASA worker helped me to get a job as a volunteer at AWARE, which is a horseback riding experience for kids with head injuries. She also took me to a salon to get my hair permed, which was one of the things that I had wanted to do for a long time. And she represented me in court. CASA has been a constant thing in my life.
After living at Teen Connection for about three months, I went to live at the Hill Country Youth Ranch. I did not receive as many visits from my CASA worker when I lived at the Youth Ranch because it was a long way for her to drive, but that didn't really matter to me. All that mattered was that she still drove all that way to visit me. Every time my CASA worker told me that she was coming to visit, she never backed down from her word. At first I thought that she never got tired or sick, but then I realized that she was dedicated to her CASA kids and nothing would stop her from making her visits.
I ran away from the Youth Ranch right before my 18th birthday, but my CASA worker never gave up on me. She called all of the local police departments and other run-away agencies. My CASA worker found me several months later. I was about five months pregnant. She helped me get maternity clothes and made frequent trips to visit with me again. This time we stayed in touch.
Later, after my baby was born, her dad became seriously abusive, and my daughter and I went to live with a friend from work. After a few months, my friend did not want us there anymore, but we didn't have anywhere to go. That is when my CASA worker came to my rescue. She helped me get my G.E.D. and driver's license, taught me parenting skills, and helped me find a job and a place to live. She really showed me how much she cared and loved not only me but my daughter as well. Now she and her husband are the god-parents of my little girl, who will be six years old in April. I have managed to live through and survive a lot of things: my mom's disappearance, my dad's abuse, and my baby's father's abuse. Although I'm a single mom, underemployed and struggling to make ends meet, I feel strong and proud of how far I have come.
I'm currently enrolled in my third quarter at ITT-Technical Institute, studying to get my Associates Degree in Multimedia. I passed my first and second quarters with A's, so my GPA is a 4.0, and I plan on keeping it that way. At least, that's what I'm striving for. I also received a certificate for perfect attendance for the first quarter. I'll be graduating in September of 2007. After I graduate, I plan to take a nice vacation and look for a career in either game or animation design. I would also like to have a side job doing web site design.
CASA has helped me a lot with school. I would like to thank everyone who donated money for the small scholarship that I received last year. It has helped me out a lot, and I appreciate it very much. I know that it is you, the supporters of CASA, your money and effort that keep this program going. My daughter and I want to thank you for your help. I don't know where we would be right now without you. God bless you and keep up the good work.
