MAHONING CO., Ohio (WKBN) – Janeysha, who likes to go by “Nova,” is a sweet, soft-spoken, artistic 16-year-old girl. She loves animals and loves to draw — and most of all, she yearns for a family to bring her in as one of their own. 

“I feel like everybody should have a family,” Nova said.

Nova is one of many kids currently waiting to be adopted in Mahoning County.

She says finding a family would bring true fulfillment to her life.

“Having a family that cares for me and being able to do what families do, because it seems like that’s just somethings that make me happy, and I just hope that I find that happiness,” Nova said.

Nova has been up for adoption for over a year now. Her case worker says she is truly a special young lady.

“She is funny, she is caring, she’s friendly, she is an advocate for things that she believes in and she advocates for people that she cares about,” says Natalie Finamore, adoption assessor. 

Nova is passionate about drawing and about anime — she even hopes to venture into a career around it one day.

“I want to be an anime animator and maybe an anime English voice actor… But I might think about going to Japan, and stuff, for that,” she said.

Finamore says once children reach a certain age, it’s harder to find them a permanent home. But there are many benefits to adopting a teenager, for both the family and for the teen.

“They need bonds, they need someone to teach them things still, and someone for them to lean on and depend on,” Finamore said.

“If you’re in a similar situation as I am, I just want to tell y’all that y’all can do it and that y’all can just pull through and that just stay strong cause it’s gonna get better,” Nova said.

Anyone interested in more information about adopting Nova — or about fostering and adoption in general — can call Mahoning County Children Services at 330-941-888.