Every Diploma Tells a Story: Celebrating CASA's Class of 2026
For youth in foster care, the path to graduation is rarely a straight line. Many experience multiple placement changes, cope with the effects of trauma, and navigate special education needs. Each disruption can mean changing schools, losing academic momentum, and rebuilding relationships with teachers and peers. Reaching graduation despite these challenges is an extraordinary achievement.
Our CASA volunteers receive training which empowers them to be educational advocates for children and youth in foster care so that they can help kids make it to graduation. In a report released Tuesday by the Education Law Center (ELC) and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Maura McInerney, law center legal director and the report's co-author, said in a statement, "The report highlights systemic failures that deeply impact students in foster care — failures that are fixable by adults, we must work together to address these inequities."
Among the report's findings:
- Pennsylvania children in foster care are three times as likely to receive an out-of-school suspension and twice as likely to get an in-school suspension compared to their peers;
- Only about 53% of children in foster care graduate on schedule, compared to 88% of students who aren't in foster care;
- Children in foster care score much lower than other students across all subjects in the Keystone Exams and the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments; and
- Rates of chronic absenteeism are much higher for students who are in foster care (34%) than for those who are not (22%).
This year, CASA of Philadelphia is proud to celebrate 15 young people who graduated from high school, a milestone that represents years of perseverance, determination, and resilience. Behind many of these success stories is the steady presence of a CASA volunteer. On average, our graduates had the support of a CASA advocate for five years, providing the consistency and encouragement that every young person deserves.
One volunteer reflected on meeting her CASA youth for the first time in a third-grade classroom, where the child sat alone in a corner, separated from her classmates. Nine years later, that same volunteer proudly watched her graduate from high school.
"This resilient young woman overcame numerous obstacles, including living in several foster homes and a shelter, to now reside in Supervised Independent Living. Whenever we spoke about school, she always wanted to know her grades and was determined not only to graduate but to do well. There were challenges, but I saw a strong desire within her to achieve independence and pursue higher education. I eagerly anticipate her future in the culinary arts."
Another volunteer described the privilege of witnessing the milestones that many teenagers take for granted.
"There is a special kind of joy in watching this foster youth, whose young life has been marked by so much hardship, finally enjoy the rites of passage so many other youth take for granted: shopping for prom outfits, planning promposals, taking senior pictures, celebrating college acceptances, and receiving her diploma at graduation. I have loved watching her walk toward a bright, peaceful future and can't wait to see all the good things that will unfold for her."
These stories remind us that graduation is about more than earning a diploma. It represents years of advocacy, encouragement, and unwavering belief in a young person's potential. CASA volunteers attend school meetings, advocate for educational services, celebrate achievements, and remain a consistent source of support through life's many transitions.
We congratulate our 15 graduates on this remarkable accomplishment and thank the dedicated CASA volunteers who stood beside them every step of the way. Together, they have proven that with stability, advocacy, and someone who believes in them, youth in foster care can overcome tremendous obstacles and achieve their dreams.
Congratulations to the CASA Class of 2026! We are honored to celebrate your resilience, your determination, and the bright futures that lie ahead.