AUSTIN, Texas — Every week on KVUE, we feature a different child in the Texas foster care system, in hopes of helping them get adopted by a forever family.
LaShaye is a bright and bubbly 13-year-old. She is in 7th grade and has some big dreams for her future.
KVUE'S Hannah Rucker met up with her at The Art Garage on North Lamar Boulevard to make mosaics together. The staff was very friendly and let them pick out the design they wanted and all the different colors.
LaShaye said art is something she has enjoyed since she was a little girl.
"I used to practice makeup on my brothers a lot, and they were very patient with me. I drew a flower on my mom's wall with her makeup. I didn't get in trouble because she liked it, and it just became something I like doing," she said. "I like drawing people, and I'm really good at drawing flowers."
For her colors, LaShaye chose blues and whites to resemble a coastal vibe. She dreams of finding a family who will take her to see the beach for the first time.
"I've never been, so I just picture [what it] would look like from pictures," LaShaye said.
Math is her favorite subject, and she has goals of going into the Air Force someday and doing welding. She also wants to pursue cosmetology on the side because she really enjoys nail designs.
LaShaye also said she has a best friend at school who looks out for her during the day.
"It's kind of like an unbreakable bond. It's like the Bible verse – 'I'm the vine, and you're the branches. If you remain in me and I remain in you, we will bear much fruit.' That's kind of like me and Brooke," LaShaye said.
She said there are a few things she's looking for in a forever family, but she's also very open to other possibilities.
"I know I want siblings. I want a two-parent household, a mom and a dad; pets; and I'm pretty much open to go anywhere," she said. "I like unconditional love. I make a lot of mistakes, but that's just human. I don't want one mistake to define who I am or define who someone else is."
To learn more about LaShaye or to put in an inquiry to adopt her, visit her page on the Heart Gallery of Central Texas.
PHOTOS | Forever Families: Meet LaShaye
KVUE launched the Forever Families segment with Partnerships for Children (PFC) in June 2020 to highlight children in the Heart Gallery of Central Texas who need secure and permanent families. Every day, there are nearly 1,000 children waiting to get adopted in Central Texas, according to PFC.
Editor's note: The children who are in the Heart Gallery program and featured in KVUE's Forever Families segments are children who have had every effort made on their behalf to connect them with family or others in their community to provide options for permanent, adoptive homes. Through no fault of their own, that hasn’t happened yet, and so in partnership with the Department of Family and Protective Services, we collaborate to bring awareness to KVUE viewers about these children in the hopes of finding them permanency before they age out.