Story and photo provided by CASA for Kids for Payne and Logan Counties

CASA’s December Volunteer of the Month is Becky Szlichta. Born and raised in Stillwater, Becky has worked many years for the Stillwater Public Schools, first as a math teacher and now as the Director of Secondary Curriculum. She’s been a CASA volunteer for more than five years.

Her work as a teacher inspired Becky to become a CASA. “The longer I taught, the longer I saw how devastating growing up in a dysfunctional family could be for a child,” she said. “I wanted to find a way to not only help children, but to prevent it from happening. I wanted to help be a solution.”

In her time with CASA in Payne and Logan Counties, Becky has served five cases. Like many volunteers, she continues to “Say Yes to CASA” again and again. She said when the time comes to decide to take another case, she just remembers that there are kids who need help and they need that help right now.

Becky encourages anyone who is interested to become a CASA. “I always tell them to do it.”

“The fact that you know that you’re doing something for a kid that can change their lives is so rewarding,” she explained. “You have to go into it with open eyes. It will sometimes be hard, and it will sometimes be frustrating, but the difference you make in the life of a child makes it all worth it.”

Will you be the one to help transform a child’s life? Visit casaforkids.com or call 405-624-2242 to learn more about how you can join the movement and make a difference in a child’s life.