Priscilla Callais
Meet Priscilla Callais. Priscilla has been with CASA of Terrebonne for four and a half years and she has been a force to reckon with since she first swore-in. In 2020, we created the Rookie of the Year award largely in part for Priscilla as she had only been an advocate for a short amount of time so didn’t qualify for Advocate of the Year but we wanted to highlight her accomplishments in the short amount of time she was present. To date, Priscilla has worked on 4 cases with a total of 12 children! The children, biological parents, foster parents and everyone associated with these cases have been impacted by the quality of advocacy and love she puts into all of her casework. Priscilla has been married to Kevin Callais for 34 years. They have 2 daughters, Katelyn and Lindsey, 2 sons-in-love, 4 grandchildren, 2 foster grandchildren, 5 dogs, 1 cat, and a fish tank of cichlids. She has been working for the same company since she was 18 years old for a total of 36 years. Her sense of loyalty is astounding. She has resided in Houma for the majority of her life. Something unusual that Priscilla shared is that she enjoys watching surgical videos and Dr. Pimple Popper. She states that something she wants others to know about herself is that she loves Jesus. She gave her life at the age of 13 and couldn’t imagine going through life without her faith.
When talking about the work she does for CASA, we asked what her typical monthly schedule looks like. She does have two cases that keep her pretty busy. She tries to stay in contact with all parties including foster parents, schools and case managers. She may just send a text or email to keep lines of communication open between all parties. When it is time for her to write a court report, she reviews her contact logs and text messages focusing on what is the most important thing for the Judge to know. She states she is careful with her word choices because if the child ever has access to her report she does not want them to feel she was being negative toward them or their parents. To prepare for her court dates she states she will print her contact logs and read them through along with her court report.
When asked what advice she would give to anyone thinking about becoming a CASA she stated, “My advice to anyone considering becoming a CASA would be to sign up for the classes. Listen to what is said and decide if it’s right for you. I know God laid being a CASA on my heart and I am so glad he did. Being obedient to my calling has led me to meet some awesome young people that I otherwise would never have had the opportunity to meet. Maybe in some small way, I made an impression. CASA has also allowed me to make some lifelong friendships that I am so grateful for.” Priscilla leaves us with this unfortunate truth, “Not all experiences with CASA are joyful. There are some tough situations. There were days when I questioned my calling and felt as though I wasn’t the right person for the children. At the end of the day, they will be a part of me for the rest of my life. When they come into my mind I pray for them. I can’t think of a better way to be a part of their lives.”
