Not Surviving But Thriving

Isabel Aranda-Hopp Named 2025 Darlene Kamine Advocate of the Year

Isabel Aranda-Hopp is a CASA Volunteer of 10 years — and a former teacher who for many years worked exclusively with five-year-olds. 

Despite this, when Isabel signed up to volunteer, she chose to work with teens — a shocking transition in retrospect, she said. Because while Isabel recalls being adored by her kindergartners, teens have been slower to warm to her. It was a brave choice on her part — but one ProKids is grateful for. Today, she serves a young man from Guatemala. 

When she met this boy in his foster home, Isabel could see how lonely he was from the way he ate meals alone in his room. 

Being from Argentina, she could speak his language, and as a longtime advocate, she followed her instincts: knowing that what this child really needed was someone to share a meal with him. Having grown up in a home without electricity, he was amazed even by fast food chains, compiling a list of the restaurants they visited: McDonalds, Chili’s, even a mall food court.

In Isabel, he didn’t just get a lunch every now and then, he gained the confidence of knowing someone was looking out for him.

Before coming to this country, the boy had gone to school just a few times a week or would skip to pick up work. Isabel explained the need for consistency, why education should be valued (she even had to explain his grade point average).

When she found out he was failing music, she called his teacher, learned he had missed a concert. Just another thing he had no context for!

Next time, Isabel drove him herself. He was sick with nerves, but she was there to support him — watching from the very first row.

Isabel told us that when you go the extra mile, often your child will follow suit. This boy is now 18. He’s been on the honor roll. He’ll be the first in his family to earn a diploma!

She pushes her children to envision a future where they are not just surviving but thriving.