School: Georgia State University College of Law

If a picture says a thousand words, then this summer has been like an endless novel. In just ten weeks, I have met Supreme Court Justices, observed numerous Juvenile Court Judges in action, attended a reception at the Governor's Mansion, shadowed a public defender, and been exposed to the numerous sides of child welfare law that I never knew existed. Everyday has been a challenge. Everyday I saw things about the system that are infuriating and others that make it all worthwhile. Regardless, I am convinced that the Juvenile Court system in Georgia is extraordinarily interactive and in the hands of some of the most talented child advocates.

One reason why I feel this summer was so successful was that my supervisor, Michelle Barclay, exposed me to a multitude of perspectives within the child welfare system. Michelle was the first person to really explain to me what I was dealing with in child welfare, what the hot topics are, and where the major problems exist. She was also the first person who I saw propose answers. She has a great ability to generate solutions and it was exciting to work under her because I was able to attend committee meetings regarding pilot projects and discussions on how we can improve programs already in place. I attended the One Child, One Lawyer Training where firm attorneys volunteer time to take on a child's case and see it through. This program is fascinating because it pits big firms lawyers with a more informal and sub-surface topic that is child welfare. I also did various site visits in counties across Georgia to do court observations and compile assessments of each court's procedure. I saw courts that ran smoothly and I saw courts that had serious problems. Each court was very different, but each worked in its own way.

Everyone I have met this summer knows Michelle because she reaches every outlet and taps every resource that she can think of so that the greatest amount of improvement can occur. From observing Michelle's demeanor and presence around others, I now understand why they say that one person can truly make a difference.

I also had the chance this summer to shadow Mary Hermann for the day. This experience offered a different perspective from the one I got working with Michelle, because it exposed me to an in-court setting from the perspective of a child advocate attorney. In so many cases I observed this summer, I noticed a lack of child representation. Some counties had a Child Advocate and a CASA and some unfortunately had neither. This is frustrating because it makes the child intangible and it seems paradoxical to be in court fighting for the rights of someone who is not even exercising the very basic right of legal representation.

Working with Mary put me in closer contact with the children. I was so used to speaking about children as a collective body and brainstorming ways to improve the system holistically. With Mary, I was assigned a case to track and make a report on. To do this, I interviewed the child and her mother and the putative father. Everyday that I worked on that case I pictured that little girl and I will always wonder about her well-being. Putting a face with a name has an indescribable impact on your connection to your work.

I also spent a day with Amy Howell to get a perspective of a juvenile public defender. Delinquency and deprivation are two separate issues, but I noticed how interwoven they are. So many of the cases I observed with Amy had reflections of deprivation, whether the delinquent was a product of a deprived up-bringing or in fact simultaneously involved in a deprivation petition. After spending a day in court with Amy, I realized how much of deprivation is cyclical and it is a bit disheartening that so much of delinquency is directly related to a deprived childhood. It is so important these children get the type of representation that Amy offers because delinquency if one thing, is a slippery slope.

This summer has flown by because there are so many issues in child welfare that need attention. I am so proud to have had the honor to have received such invaluable training by premier child advocates. Georgia's children are lucky to have a program like the Barton clinic. When you see a child's life turned upside down by abusive parents, a drug epidemic, or simply just not enough attention, it's hard to articulate your feelings onto paper. So I am thankful knowing that as a result of this summer experience, I too have the ability to improve a child's life and hopefully impact the child welfare system in this state.