During a campus visit, the drums were already beating when Jasmine Castleberry walked into an afterschool classroom. She quickly noticed one student failing to engage and jumped in. Without missing a beat, she grabbed an extra set of sticks, brought the student to the front of the classroom, and showed her how to join the rhythm. Castleberry’s quick thinking and vibrant personality coaxed every student into full participation with a smile and spark that has become her signature.
It’s just one of the countless moments when Castleberry has helped the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids transform out-of-school time programming into something kids want to participate in.
“She is all in for afterschool,” Senior Director Dr. Lisa Caruthers said of Harris County Department of Education’s April Employee of the Month. “Between Jasmine’s vivacious personality and incredible commitment to our field, she is our cheerleader.”
Castleberry’s passion for afterschool programming runs deep, rooted in her experiences as a student in Pflugerville, a suburb outside of Austin. She described disliking academics, purposefully being late for the bus in the hopes of missing class and even repeating fifth grade because she chose not to turn in homework.
“I was the kid that just tried to take the easy way out for everything,” Castleberry laughed. “However, I was also an overachiever at the same time. It was very strange.”
Her parents worked to get her back on track and involved with various programs to keep her busy.
“They said, ‘You can’t stay here in this house,’ because I was probably running amuck,” Castleberry recalled. “They tried to involve me in anything they could think of after school. I was in choir, math club, Girl Scouts and everything in church.”
Those early experiences planted seeds for a lifelong commitment to expanding access for energized and curious students who need the proper outlet. They sprouted when a part-time job at YMCA during high school turned her dreams of being a lawyer into a calling for afterschool programming. Castleberry not only discovered her talent for working with youth, but also a vision for what afterschool programs could be.
“She always maneuvers herself into a support role or joins a committee to ensure her vision is in the plan, and you want her vision because it’s huge, grand and just what CASE for Kids needs,” Caruthers said.
Added Castleberry: “I was very fortunate to have access to those activities and parents who could afford it, but we must find new ways to give back to these kids. I always ask, ‘Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player ever?’ No, he’s the best basketball player that we know about. However, many kids out here are doing some fantastic things, and because they don’t have access to a court or ball, we will never know it. It’s our job to give them that access and exposure to new experiences.”
As the manager of federal programs and compliance, Castleberry oversees CASE for Kids’ work in seven school districts and charter schools, serving more than 1,000 K-12 students and their families annually.
Funded by a Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Texas ACE Cycle 11 grant, Castleberry was tasked with hiring staff after the COVID-19 pandemic and revamping the afterschool programs in her districts.
When Alcides Wolhers joined her team as a site coordinator, he was nervous about developing his program. Students were hesitant to join, and administrators were not involved in bridging the information gap with parents about the benefits of CASE for Kids.
“Jasmine was patient with me and answered all my questions about what I needed to do,” Wolhers recalled. “It was extremely helpful and made me grow as a coordinator because I felt I had the support I needed.”
With Castleberry’s approval, he hit the ground running, ordering various athletic equipment for his campus. In a few months, Wolhers went from a dozen students to more than 40 kids enrolled in the program.
However, that type of success is not singular to his campus. It can be found at every Cycle 11 site because coordinators have Castleberry at the helm, ensuring they have the necessary tools for success and providing help at every step.
“Every time we have a team meeting, I know I’m going to learn something new from Jasmine because she is going to give us wisdom on how to be better,” Wolhers described. “She foresees challenges before we encounter them and says, ‘If you don’t know how to approach it, contact me, and I’ll help you. We will get it done together.’ I’ve seen it happen, so I feel confident working under her guidance.”
That same energy and enthusiasm extends beyond programming and into the culture she helps shape within CASE for Kids.
One example was her willingness to jump in while planning last year’s CASE holiday party. On a mission to create an unforgettable experience, Castleberry wrote 50 letters to representatives at local businesses, detailing the unwavering commitment CASE for Kids staff make to Harris County students annually. She asked them to sponsor a few gifts to distribute at their annual holiday party, and the response was overwhelming.
“It was like they were waiting for someone to ask them to appreciate an educator,” Castleberry smiled. “I just want to get about nine little prizes, and I got enough gifts so that every person in attendance could get something. The owners of the venue even donated the use of their space.”
The party was a labor of love and just another vision of what could be — whether it’s a more significant celebration, more programs, more partnerships or more children reached.
Castleberry constantly sees new ways to elevate out-of-school time programs, often drawing from her national experience. As a two-term board member for the National AfterSchool Association, she brings ideas, insight and resources from across the country back to Harris County, always with a focus on impact.
“When I’m alone and in my quiet time, thinking about the impact we’re making, I’m always wondering, what more can we do?” she described. “I’ve been in this space for more than 20 years and have a long way to go. The work never stops, and it’s never easy, but there must be another way to serve more students, offer more programming and expose them to more activities.”
Wolhers describes Castleberry as the embodiment of CASE for Kids, and though she might not express it directly, her description of what the division means to her mirrors that sentiment.
“CASE for Kids is a place of growth,” said an emotional Castleberry. “It’s a place of friendship. It’s a place of support. It’s a place of joy and innovation. I couldn’t ask for a better division. I couldn’t ask for a better place to work, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to go on this journey with. That’s what CASE is to me.”