Earlier this month, Micaela Leroux Burch, Miss Teen DC United States, joined her school for a Dinner Fellowship at Lazarus House for our Adult Treatment Program. Recently elected to her school’s Service Board, she wanted to gain first hand experience with the programs and populations they’ll be serving. Upon learning more about our mission and the Women with Children Program, Micaela wanted to make our mission her mission.
Micaela is a 16-year-old rising senior at the National Cathedral School for Girls (NCS). Micaela believes strongly in the core values of excellent work, personal courage, personal conscience, and service to others. She is passionate about helping children learn, the earlier the better. Micaela’s academic and career interests dovetail with her service activities. She plans to conduct research and practice in psychopathology and the arts. She is interested in understanding the role that the visual and performing arts play in brain development, cognitive growth, and emotional intelligence. Micaela’s goals include master’s and doctorate degrees.
Because of her passion for early childhood development, the Child Development Center at Clark Inn seemed like a natural fit for her passion. “I appreciate that there is a program for the kids, not just the moms. I also like that it takes them out of harmful situations.” She shared that the treatment over imprisonment is also something she would like to see more of around the country. With Samaritan Inns, she hopes to learn more about how to understand this early phase of life and advocate for them. “I think that the support they have for the children ties into my interests in art and interactions [that] make a great foundation for growth.”
This week, Micaela brought joy to our children as she came, in her crown and sash, to deliver games, puzzles, and books, including her own childhood favorite, Peter Rabbit. These generous gifts are are greatly appreciated, as kids immediately put them to good use.
Nationals for the Miss Teen United States will be taking place the first week in July down in Orlando, Florida. We will certainly be rooting Micaela on from DC and can’t wait to see her, and our Child Development Center, grow together.
For more information on Miss Teen DC United States, please contact Regina Burch at reginaburch@usa.net or visit her on Facebook.
Shawn hails from Culpepper, Virginia. He came to Eastern Mennonite University, unclear of what his area of study should be but knew his end goal. “I always wanted to help people.” At first, Shawn was Pre-Law, but found it was not for him. Then, he joined their Global Peacemaking Program. But finally, he settled in on Social Work, a field he’s been passionate about ever since.
When she first started looking for internships, substance use disorders were not an area of interest. She joined Samaritan Inns, thanks mostly to Judy, the Director of Treatment Programs, and the positive staff and work environment. “It has a good spirit. It sounds like a silly thing to say but there’s such a good atmosphere here,” Theresa shared.
Pam joined Samaritan Inns’ Adult Treatment Program back in August. She’s brought over 14 years of experience in counseling and treatment. Whether it’s conducting seminars, building vision boards with clients or coaching them through their toughest moments in treatment, she’s always poised, compassionate, and thoughtful. Her positivity is infectious.
One of the last associations you think of when you think of Spring Break would be addiction recovery education. But for Princeton University’s Breakout Trip,
As an organization that has served DC since 1985, we taught the students about lessons we have learned over the years, as well as the changes in the political and social environment in which we serve. After that orientation, the students got to work, beautifying the yard of Elisha House, one of our Affordable Housing Communities, and making lunch for the clients in our Adult Treatment Program.
