NORFOLK, Va. — Terese Ewing and Gary Murphy are retired educators. They spent decades helping shape young minds and guiding students through academic and personal challenges.
"I was a teacher and a counselor," Ewing said. "Then, I went into administration and came back to counseling."
She wrapped up her 30-year career in the North Carolina public school system last year. Murphy retired in 2019 and relocated to Virginia after working in Jersey City and New York City.
"I was an elementary school teacher, reading specialist," Murphy said. "I was an elementary school principal for seven years. I finished up my career in the human resources department."
Their passion for helping children led them to Norfolk CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a nonprofit where volunteers have been appointed by a judge to ensure that every child's voice is heard in the courtroom since 1985.
"Norfolk CASA is an agency whose mission is to be there for some of our most vulnerable kids, kids who most often have been removed from their families through no fault of their own and are thrown into unfamiliar settings," Murphy said. "We really make it our business to get to know the kids and serve as the eyes and ears of the judge, who ultimately is going to be making decisions in their best interest."
Ewing joined Norfolk CASA after she retired last year and said it's fulfilling to stand up for children during such vulnerable times in their lives.
"It’s always been to help them understand, yes, you have been through some very traumatic things, but there is still hope out there for you. Let’s help figure out how to get to that," Ewing said.
In January, she became the group's volunteer coordinator. She helps prepare new volunteers to advocate for children in the court system, guiding them through the complexities of child advocacy.
"A lot of times, especially working with teenagers, adults tend to see them as smaller adults, and that’s not where they are," Ewing said. "They have been through so much. Adults need to be reminded of what they have been through, which is totally different from what [the adults] have been through. Now, how do we address that? How do we help? How do we learn to understand so we can help them?"
Meanwhile, Murphy has served as a CASA volunteer for the past four years, advocating for several children whose families are in crisis. He aims to be a steady, reliable presence in their lives, working to ensure their needs are represented in court.
Like other volunteers, Murphy gathers information about the children by getting to know them, observing their environment, and assessing their well-being. He then writes a report to provide the court with detailed information about the child's situation, needs, and best interests.
"[I spend] time with the kids, a least one visit a month," Murphy said. "I usually try to make it a twice-a-month experience, so you really can form a bond with the kid and get a sense of what their needs are."
Last year, volunteers advocated for 117 children in need. Currently, they're working with 62 children, while 25 more are still waiting to be paired with a volunteer. The group is trying to recruit more advocates to ensure that every child has a voice in court.
"We are here talking about, in many cases, our most vulnerable kids, whose needs are most extreme, who really may have been, at the time they were taken into care, on a trajectory toward not such a great future," said Murphy, noting that advocates help to provide hope and stability when the children need it most. "So, at some point, it’s just a question of, are you going to take a stand for a kid?"
Ewing added that becoming a CASA volunteer is a chance to make a real, lasting impact in a child's life.
"When the child is placed in foster care, it’s not just usually one foster care home. There’s another movement. And with that often comes a change in school, a change in neighborhood, a change in friends, a change in who they're seeing. Sometimes, they’re taken away from siblings," Ewing said. "So, to have one person who’s consistently there, who’s consistently listening to you, and really caring what you have to say, you can count on that person, that is huge for a child."
She hopes more people will consider becoming an advocate with the nonprofit.
"We really need volunteers," Ewing said. "I shouldn’t say Norfolk CASA needs volunteers. These children need the volunteers."
Norfolk CASA advocates must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver's license, commit to an 18-month volunteer period, complete specialized training, and have strong communication skills. The next virtual training and information session begins May 13, 2025. Click here for more information and to apply.
You can also make a donation to Norfolk CASA. In addition to funding, the group needs items like toys, games, journals, and art and school supplies for the children.
