Double the Impact: Lucy and Alex's Journey as a Co-CASA Team and Graduates

Lucy and Alex are both students at Saint Louis University, graduating in May. They’re also Co-CASA Volunteers for a sibling group of four. After being randomly assigned as suitemates their freshman year, they quickly became inseparable and have been roommates and close friends ever since. 

Alex graduated in December with a degree in criminology and criminal justice. She’s been working at a law firm in town and will walk at SLU’s May graduation ceremony with Lucy and their friends. Lucy will graduate with a double major in music and health science and a minor in biology. She also volunteers at a local children’s hospital. There, she has seen children who have experienced abuse stay long past treatment as they waited for placement. She wanted to help children in these difficult situations, and after a family friend recommended CASA, Lucy recruited Alex to join her in training as a Co-CASA team. 

Lucy and Alex were assigned to a case shortly after turning twenty-one in February 2024. “Part of me thought, oh, are we qualified for this?” Lucy shared. Alex agreed, saying, “It was imposter syndrome. Are we even supposed to be here?” That doubt didn’t last long. They quickly realized their age was actually a strength. As busy students, they’d already learned how to juggle classes, work, volunteering, and everything else on their plates. 

They’ve now been on their case for over a year, advocating for three boys and a girl, ages five to sixteen. When they were assigned the case, the two oldest boys were already in a great foster home. The nine-year-old soon joined them after her original placement ended, and the youngest brother was placed with them in December 2024, finally reuniting all four siblings under one roof. 

Lucy and Alex have seen real growth in the kids, especially in how they’ve built trust with them over time. Lucy said, “I think the first visit, they probably spoke two words. But now they’re showing us things like what they got for Christmas and their Squish mallow collection.” Alex added, “When we came for a visit around Halloween, they came out in their costumes to show us!” 

Being close in age to the oldest child has helped them connect and support him more directly. They’ve checked in on his grades, suggested programs, and even brought him ACT prep materials. With their encouragement, he’s gone from inconsistent school attendance to being in class regularly. They’ve also pushed hard to get all four kids into therapy and have helped with school transitions after multiple moves—researching new districts and what resources were available in each. 

Being a Co-CASA team has made the case manageable for Alex and Lucy. They split tasks, fill in gaps in one another’s schedules, and lean on each other to talk through the case, prepare reports, and make recommendations. Lucy’s work at the hospital provided her experience working with children, while Alex’s Law background provided systematic knowledge. Together, they create a superhuman impact. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more out of it than I’ve put in. I’ve learned so much about how the foster care system operates and how Children’s Division works.” Lucy shares, “It’s good to understand more about the world in general and understand where people came from.” Alex echoed the sentiment, saying, “I didn’t realize going in how much the kids themselves would change me for the better.” 

Alex and Lucy’s Case Advocacy Supervisor, Brian, said it best: “They have continued to bring a lot of energy to the case, making sure that all of the kids’ needs are being met, which became a challenge through two placement disruptions and multiple changes in case managers. Alex and Lucy have remained a constant force in the lives of these children as they navigate the foster care system.” 

As Lucy and Alex prepare to graduate from Saint Louis University this May, we celebrate not only their academic achievements but also the impact they’ve made as CASA Volunteers. Their story is one of dedication, teamwork, and growth, with their Co-CASA dynamic standing out as an example of what can be accomplished through collaboration and shared passion. As they step into the next chapter of their lives, they carry with them the understanding that even small acts of advocacy can create lasting change. In Alex’s words, “The biggest impact you can make on the world is by directly influencing or impacting one person, and that will have a ripple effect.”