Ma'Leyia, 17 years old, TX

Wish submitted by:

Ma'Leyia has been in foster care for several years. She is deaf and faces some developmental delays, which can make it challenging to find good and lasting placements for her. Despite these difficulties, she remains a positive and delightful young person. Ma'Leyia loves to draw, color, and engage in arts and crafts. She is very sweet and affectionate, enjoying activities such as basketball and art with others. She is meticulous and pays close attention to detail; she often erases and rewrites letters to ensure her writing is as neat as possible, and she keeps her room very organized. Her disabilities do not hold her back, and she thrives on social interactions. Although she can be a bit reserved at first, she has a bright smile and an ability to light up any room she enters.

Ma'Leyia is deaf and has developmental delays, which make it challenging for her to communicate using sign language. Recently, a specialist evaluated her and concluded that she would benefit from an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. During a thorough assessment, Ma'Leyia responded very positively to this device. Now, she needs her own AAC device, and an iPad is needed to run the necessary program. Having her own iPad will enable her to communicate more effectively with those around her.