Caria Whitmire-Camp

Whenever we are faced with adversity, we can do one of two things: use it as an excuse for ourselves, or let it be the catalyst that makes us better. The world is full of children who grow up under less than ideal circumstances and, while some of them go on to perpetuate the cycles of mental, spiritual and material poverty, Caria Whitmire-Camp is one girl who made the decision to change.

"I was taken away from my mother at age six because she was abusive and on drugs," said Caria, who spent seven years in and out of shelters and foster homes in New York before finally being adopted by her mother's sister in Beaufort. "When I came here, I didn't even unpack my clothes."

Caria vaguely remembers talking to her aunt once on the phone when she was very little, telling her that her sister was crying. But she never expected she would be taken in by her aunt and uncle, who she eventually came to call mom and dad.

"I was just a young child caught up in a bad situation," said Caria, who is now a rising high school senior. "I was helpless and she wanted to help me. I was so happy because I was looking for that love and support. I know I put them through hell, but they stuck it out, and now all I want to do is make them proud."

And make them proud she has, overcoming her initial behavior problems to become a leader amongst her peers. After being selected Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club in Beaufort for the first time in 2004, Caria went on to become the 2008 Youth of the Year for the entire state. She represented South Carolina in a recent regional competition and, though she didn't win, she feels pleased with her participation saying, "Every last one of the judges shed a tear with me."

But perhaps more important than sharing her personal story with judges are the conversations she has with other young people right here at home. The first time she realized her words could impact others was at a family reunion when she asked to get up and speak because she wanted to express how happy she was to have been adopted. Her aunt told her she had a gift and she needed to use it, an idea which at first she was reluctant to accept.

"I never felt like my story had to be boasted for people to recognize me," said Caria, who began to speak more openly about it after the Boys & Girls Club award brought her history to light. "It's the change in me that matters. I try to keep it positive and think out of the box, and I have a comfort zone with other kids. They can talk to me and we learn from each other."

Looking back on her experiences now, Caria is able to place her past into a wider context, one that leaves her full of hope for the future.

"I used to be angry because I didn't understand why that was happening to me," she said. "But now I know that God had a plan. He made me go through that so I would be stronger. I learned how to forgive and forget, to move on and live for the future. I realized that I am here for a purpose."

Up Close

Born: Charlotte, NC Three words to describe herself: talkative, entertaining, loving Member of: Old Fort Baptist Church Hopes to attend: The Naval Academy Possible profession: child psychologist Words to live by: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." Inspirational figures: her aunt Veronica and uncle Kenneth Dream: to see her biological mother, younger sister and older brother brought together again Advice to teens: "Love yourself and respect yourself, because nobody will ever be able to do that better than you."