Active 13-year-old loves sports, hopes for family
He doesn't aim to be the center of attention, but with two cameras on him Tony was a ham.
Anthony, or Tony, played the part well during his tour of the Round Rock Express stadium.
"They're talking about drafting me on the team," Tony said.
But it really wasn't that big of a stretch since he's fairly athletic.
"I like to play sports. Go swimming, play football, play baseball every now and then," he said.
He's trying out for the 8th grade football team next year.
"I'm going for defensive line," Tony said.
Then someday he wants to be in the military.
"I'm thinking about joining the Marines, to learn how to actually take orders from authorities," he said.
Tony's a smart kid. For the last two years he's been figuring himself out. What sets him off, what motivates him, and ultimately the person he wants to be.
Between the lines of the statement he just made, he's saying he knows he can be defiant, but he wants to be respectful.
He has largely been sorting his past from his future. Like school. These days, he actually goes.
"I just thought there was no matter to be at school. Except to be smart, to the teachers. I didn't have respect for others. Or myself," Tony said.
The 7th grader has been in foster care for about three years.
A turning point for him was during a conflict with his foster mom. He cried, "Just give up on me!"
She didn't. And now Tony's learning not to give up on himself.
"I like the way I look. I want to dress myself nicely in public, have good clothes on."
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His fears still come up. In the past six months, he's decided he wants to be adopted.
"I don't want them to give up on me, and then me have to go to another place," he said.
Tony is aware he's in limbo as long as he's not in a forever home.
"Just to see what it's like to have a family to be there for you and to interact and have someone to care for you, and for you to care for yourself."
That's the message Tony wants to hear. Having a forever family that will let him know he matters.
And that is this 13-year-old's key to success.
Tony is also an artist, both because he's talented, and because
it's a good outlet for coping.
His CASA volunteer gave him a calligraphy set, and he's recently
started using pastels.
The Adoption Coalition of Texas can help you learn more about Tony.
Contact them at their Web site or call (888) 441-2009.