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Teen boy in foster care wants to be an engineer someday

Payton has been in foster care for nine years. He likes robotics and soccer and wants to go on trips with his future family.

AUSTIN, Texas — As a child in foster care, it's common to want to focus on the future instead of the past. Payton is a 14-year-old boy who is hoping to make his future bright.

Whenever he's able, you can find Payton tinkering with just about anything he can get his hands on.

KVUE's Hannah Rucker met up with him at the Austin Tinkering School, where he was able to work on making a handheld electric car. 

Payton shared what it takes to be a good builder.

"Patience," he said. "Not giving up when something like this will break."

Payton is going into high school in the fall and would like to get involved in robotics. 

"I’m kind of excited. New classes, trying new things," Payton said.

He has been in foster care for nine years.

"Since I was five," Payton said. "Not fun, but I get to meet new people,"

He explained what he would like in a forever family environment. 

“Activities and going to new places, exploring new things," Payton said.

He also said he likes being active, playing and watching sports.

"Especially soccer!" he said.

To learn more about Payton or to put in an inquiry to adopt him, visit his page on the Heart Gallery of Central Texas.

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.

Hannah Rucker on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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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.

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