Ashley is a beautiful, bright and energetic 12-year-old with blond hair and bright blue eyes. She loves to be active and enjoys cheerleading and gymnastics, listening to music, spending time outdoors and hanging out with her friends.

Ashley’s desire to be “active” was a perfect fit for a late summer trip to Funtown/Splashtown U.S.A. in Saco. Ashley’s visit to the amusement park was scheduled in conjunction with a filming session for a “Thursday’s Child” television segment that ran on WGME-TV 13 on Sept. 30.

Like many other children and teens at the park that day, Ashley viewed the excursion as a last hurrah before her return to school and took advantage of the chance to try out the park’s numerous waterslides, among other activities.

Ashley has been in the care of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services since June 2003.

A seventh-grader, Ashley does very well at school, has many friends and is well liked by school staff. She participates in activities and appropriately challenges and explores new ideas and concepts.

Ashley would like to find an “active” adoptive family. She is seeking an experienced mother and father and would enjoy having siblings. Ashley’s adoptive family will need to provide continuous supervision and guidance.

Like many girls her age, Ashley enjoys talking on the phone, reading magazines, painting her nails and talking about boys. Earlier in the summer, she enjoyed a three-day canoe trip on the Saco River. She also participates in a white-water rafting program and has thoroughly enjoyed that experience.

Ashley is one of 221 Maine children in Maine DHHS care seeking an adoptive home. For more information about Ashley or other children available for adoption, contact A Family for ME at 1-877-505-0545 or visit www.afamilyforme.org.

Based in Gardiner, A Family for ME is a nonprofit program that works in collaboration with Maine DHHS to find foster and adoptive families for Maine children in care.