Wednesday's Child: 12-Year-Old Kayanna

BOSTON (CBS) --- Kayanna is an active, friendly and good-humored 12-year-old African-American girl of Cape Verdean heritage. An intelligent young woman, Kayanna does well academically. She is caring towards her peers and caregivers, is very thoughtful and enjoys helping others. Kayanna does well one-on-one and responds well to positive attention. She is in good physical health with a mild controllable medical issue.

Kayanna enjoys participating in sports and extracurricular activities, namely basketball, soccer, and volleyball. She is also interested in taking dance classes. When she is not playing sports or riding her bicycle, she enjoys reading, playing video games, and watching television. Kayanna is an active reader who finds that it helps relieve stress. She also very much enjoys her involvement in her church.

Since entering foster care, Kayanna has lived in single parent foster homes with other children. At times, she struggles in her relationships with the other foster children due to her emotional and behavioral issues, but Kayanna is committed to being a respectful friend and family member and continues to seek support in this area. Kayanna willingly helps out with family chores.

Kayanna is legally free for adoption and has phone contact and visits with five older siblings. Her social worker is seeking an adoptive family of any constellation with or without other children. It would be best if Kayanna is placed in an experienced family who is familiar with childhood trauma and loss and how it impacts behavior.

To learn more about Kayanna, and about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678) or visit www.MAREinc.org. The sooner you call, the sooner a waiting child will have "a permanent place to call HOME."