Ohio CASA Celebrates Milestone 30th Annual Celebrate Kids! Conference with Record Attendance 

Nearly 700 CASA volunteers, court staff, attorneys, and child welfare professionals gathered in Columbus for three days of learning and connection 

The Ohio CASA/GAL Association was proud to welcome nearly 700 attendees to its milestone 30th Annual Celebrate Kids! Conference — the largest turnout in the training event’s history. 

CASA volunteers, court and program staff, attorneys, and social workers gathered in Downtown Columbus for three days of training sessions and networking events. 

Attendees completed essential training on critical child welfare topics — including building mental wellness in youth who have experienced trauma, best practices for court testimony, and understanding and addressing addiction within families. 

CASA volunteers, child welfare professionals, and families of the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds were honored during Ohio CASA’s annual awards ceremony for their positive impact and dedication to the Ohio CASA Network. 

The 2025 conference featured two keynote speeches. 

On day two of Celebrate Kids!, nationally known author, advocate, and abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart shared her inspiring story of survival and overcoming trauma, emphasizing the power of hope. 

Smart’s 2002 abduction was one of the most widely followed child abduction cases of our time. 

In her remarks, Smart highlighted her journey of survival and discussed her second book, “Where There’s Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up”, which explores her own experiences as well as interviews she conducted with others who have overcome trauma to find hope and purpose. 

“I could reach even more people than just me, so I started asking people about their thoughts,” Smart told attendees, describing her writing process. 

After Smart’s keynote, CASA volunteers and attendees gathered for the popular CASA Connect Hour networking session, which featured refreshments, a meet-and-greet book signing with Smart, and live music from Columbus City Schools’ Whetstone High School Student Jazz Ensemble. 

Ohio Department of Children and Youth (ODCY) Director Kara Wente opened the final day of the Celebrate Kids! Conference by recognizing attendees for their dedication. 

“I hope you take a breath. I hope you take a minute to see that this is your legacy,” said Director Wente. “But of course, our work is not done. Too many children still need support. At the Ohio Department of Children and Youth our mission is simple: DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR KIDS. It is a promise.” 

Attendees then participated in a plenary session led by Charles Appelstein, which focused on positive reinforcement principles from his popular book “No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: Understanding and Responding to Kids with Emotional and Behavioral Challenges Using a Positive, Strength-Based Approach.” 

“When caring adults display positivity and focus on their children’s strengths, kids feel better about themselves and truly move towards being all that they can be,” Appelstein told attendees. 

Local media, including WSYX ABC6TV and WBNS 10TV, covered the milestone conference, interviewing CASA volunteers, Elizabeth Smart, and program leaders. 

CASA programs across Ohio train and support volunteers to advocate for children experiencing abuse or neglect. Ohio CASA’s Celebrate Kids! Conference is a vital part of this yearly required training. 

CASA volunteers are community members from across Ohio who serve more than 9,000 children annually, many among the 15,000 children in Ohio’s foster care system at any given time. 

Next year’s Celebrate Kids! Conference will be held Wednesday, September 30 to Friday, October 2, 2026.

2025 Award Winners include:

• Attorney of the Year: Marcelina Woods, Esq., nominated by PARACHUTE: Butler County CASA
• Child Welfare Professional of the Year: Ashleigh Cravens, nominated by Preble County CASA
• Rising Star Volunteer of the Year: Megan Ward, nominated by Richland County Juvenile Court GAL/CASA Program
• Pro Star Volunteer of the Year: Pamela Moody, nominated by Pickaway County CASA
• Child Advocate of the Year: Samantha Kwan and Families of the Cleveland Guardians + Jordyn Pagán and Families of the Cincinnati Reds