Child Profiles
Zach, born April 1994
With beautiful red hair, a sparkle of joy in his eyes and an adorable sprinkle of freckles on his nose, eleven-year-old Zach is sure to bring a smile to just about anyone’s face. He is an upbeat kid with a lively and fun-loving spirit. “My favorite thing to do is to make people laugh and cheer them up,” Zach explained, lifting his chin and showing off his pearly whites. “And I can make up jokes,” he added.
Zach’s cheerful smile could not help but shine as he walked around Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park in Scottsdale recently. His first stop: the go karts. “I was on number seventeen on the go kart and it was the fastest one,” he said with boyish enthusiasm. But the fact that he had the fastest car on the track was no simple stroke of luck. Zach had planned ahead while he waited in line for his turn to drive the speedway. “I saw that it was the fastest one, so I got on it. I wanted it so bad,” he explained. In the end, his careful planning paid off. He zoomed past all of the cars on the track to come in first at the finish line. “Yeah, that was the fastest go kart I ever saw,” he giggled.
Zach’s trip to Fiddlesticks included a round of golf, dozens of video games and a few more spins around the go kart track. It was a perfect afternoon for this eleven-year-old.
An energetic boy, Zach loves playing sports. “My favorite sport is soccer,” Zach shared. “I have my very own soccer ball so I kick it!”
During quiet time at home or at school, Zach enjoys expressing his creative side. “I like arts and crafts,” he explained. Drawing, painting and putting together small works of origami paper art are activities that always seem to bring a smile to Zach’s face.
If there is one thing Zach cannot get enough of, it is Pokemon cards. “I'm a Pokemon fan so I have all the Pokemon cards… I know every single Pokemon card in the whole world,” he said, scanning nearby faces for disbelief. “There are about over 500,” he exclaimed with eyebrows raised in dramatic arches over his face. One of Zach’s most prized possessions is a stuffed yellow Pikachu, Pokemon’s most well-known character.
Zach is finishing up his last few weeks of the sixth grade. While he has experienced challenges at school this year, his attitude has been quite positive. “For my first period, I have… social studies then I have art then I have… math, reading, science and language arts,” he said listing his classes. But by far, Zach’s favorite subject at school is science, “’cause my science teacher is my favorite,” he said. “She's nice.”
This active boy has quite an appetite. “Yes, I can eat a lot,” he admitted, laughing. “One of the staff at the group home said that I eat so much it’s like I have a wooden leg!” Zach’s favorite food is Orange Chicken. And the best place to get this scrumptious dish? Zach did not hesitate to answer: “Panda Express.”
Zach is eager to find a loving family of his very own. He said that his ideal adoptive family is one with two parents and younger sisters in the home. Despite the promise of plenty of attention, Zach was not sure if being an only child would right for him. He explained that he enjoys being around kids and likes the idea of sharing a home with siblings.
Zach needs a family that can make a strong and loving commitment to him from the very start. It is important that his adoptive family is understanding of his emotional and behavioral needs and able to effectively advocate for his educational needs. Zach has only a few simple requests for his new family. He has stated that he would like to be part of a family that loves pets. He has also requested an active, involved family that is eager to spend quality time with him doing outdoorsy activities and art projects.
For more information on Zach or for general information on adoption and foster care opportunities, please call AASK at (602) 254-2275.
