Believing in Our Children

Margo Flege Named 2025 Darlene Kamine Advocate of the Year

Margo Flege is a CASA Volunteer of four years who’s served six kids.

One surprising tidbit is that Margo plays pickleball with another 2025 awardee: Isabel Aranda-Hopp. The two had never met at a ProKids event but learned they were both CASAs when one casually dropped a comment about visiting their ProKids child.

Since then, they’ve often consulted each other — sharing setbacks and successes. Margo even credits Isabel with a breakthrough she recently made!

It’s something we see so often as advocates: kids who don’t know who or even how to trust. To an extent, it’s expected. From new people to new places, consistency in the system can be hard to come by. 

Despite monthly visits, a young man that Margo served was cold and withdrawn. But their relationship finally blossomed when Margo tried cooking with him (a suggestion she got from Isabel).

It started with Margo saying, “let’s make some Christmas cookies.” And pretty soon, he was looking forward to their little cooking lessons — calling to ask what they’d make next — and realizing that Margo had been the only person to visit him consistently.

He told her, “I praise you for that.” 

That same consistency’s at play with Margo’s other teen – a young woman whose greatest struggle is getting to school (on time or at all). At one point last year, she’d make it maybe once or twice a week. But Margo, entirely committed to getting this girl through her junior year, enlisted a mentor, and the two took turns driving her to class. 

She recently encouraged the now senior to order her cap and gown!

ProKids is grateful for Margo’s belief in our kiddos — for showing them they truly can do anything, whether it’s making it to school on any given Monday or learning to trust again.