Meet Tara
A sporty & smart teen longing for a ‘Forever Family’
With a sparkle in her eye, it doesn’t take long to realize that 14-year-old Tara has spunk and drive. She’s also a kid who wears her heart on her sleeve. As one of nine kids, this teen is currently living in a group home, hoping that someday soon, she’ll be living with a family who can give her a second chance along with plenty of love and stability.
“Tara is kind of a bold child,” says her social worker, Ashley Meeker. “She is very comfortable in her own skin and is able to communicate. She has a sassy side but she is also very kind.”
If you ask Tara what makes her tick, she doesn’t even take a second to respond.
“I love to compete with music. I’ve been in choir since the fifth grade, so I have been to a bunch of different music festivals,” Tara says. While she’s musically inclined, there’s not a sport she doesn’t like to play. She’s had a blast competing for her junior high. “I play volleyball, basketball, softball. I love softball. I pitch and play right center.”
“She pushes herself to be better. She’s very driven,” Ashley says. “She’s phenomenal in school and is a straight-A student.” Ashley says she’s even helped tutor a few times a week after school, spending time giving a little of herself to lift up her fellow classmates.
When you ask Tara about her future, she claims to be a “live in the moment” kind of gal. She doesn’t like to look too far ahead because, right now, she’s trying desperately not to let her past define her.
“I really love the thought of being a lawyer,” Tara says, admitting that she’s drawn to the fight for justice. “I’ve dreamt about that ever since I was little. Girl lawyers are so independent, strong and amazing!” She knows it will be a difficult career path, but she’s up for the challenge. “I want to give it my full potential. I want to focus on getting ready for college.”
Ashley says it is amazing the strength and resiliency Tara shows despite all she’s been through. “She suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, yet through it all, she still tries to better herself. She doesn’t want to have what happened in her past affect her future.”
Since two of Tara’s closest siblings have already been adopted, Ashley would love nothing more than for Tara to experience the same. “She deserves a loving family and a place to call home as much as anybody else does,” Ashley says. “She just wants someone to love her and not give up on her.”
To learn more about Tara or about the foster-adoption system in general, please call Ashley Meeker at 657-3120. While Tara is in need of an adoptive home, many times the primary goal for children in the system is to have a temporary placement while social workers strive to reunify them with their biological family. Each family wanting to become a licensed foster/adoptive home must undergo 18 hours of mandatory training to learn the tools needed to become a successful foster family.
