One Child’s Story

Daysi Garcia lives in a two-bedroom apartment with her parents, grandmother and two younger siblings in Pico-Union, a neighborhood notorious for robberies and vandalism. Much of her time is spent with her grandfather, who is gravely ill with advanced diabetes and is on dialysis.

Despite these difficult circumstances, the seventh-grader has collected an impressive array of awards and scholarships for academics, athletics and music. However, her scholarship to attend the local Catholic school has expired, and the family is unsure where Daysi will be next semester because they can't afford private school tuition.

For a while, anyway, Daysi won't have to worry about any of that. She is going to Camp Mt. Crags for a second time courtesy of the Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Campaign.

"I remember everything about camp," Daysi said, her mouth opening wide as she raved about the camp's sporting opportunities, including archery. "You can breathe clean air there ... And the food! The waffles are even better than Eggos!"

Although this whirling dervish seems to be everywhere at once -- playing basketball or football, dancing, tutoring fifth-graders in reading or going on distance runs with her family -- her focus remains fixed on the glittering prize.

"I want to be the first Hispanic woman president," she declares, her huge eyes growing even larger behind her absently cocked glasses. She says her priority when she's in office will be the cities. "I know that all these kids -- they gave up already. You can't overlook the cities."