by Lem Satterfield


(See video interviews below)

Rarely, if ever, will you hear Tyshia Oliver complain or make excuses, or, most of all, say the word, "Quit," even though in her own words, "I've had a pretty hard life."

But what you will hear, often, is how thankful Oliver is to her aunt, Evette Price, for helping her to become the poised and talented young lady that she has become.
 
"I was never raised by my real mother or my biological father. I was always raised by my aunt, Evette Price over in Southeast Baltimore over in Cherry Hill," said the 18-year-old Reginald Lewis senior track star, who is Baltimore City's female winner of the DigitalSports Applause Scholarship for the winter.

"She took me from the time I was an infant until I left her when I was 12, I believe. She was always like my mother. It was never, 'Aunt Evette.' That's what I was used to," said Oliver, who, since then, has been in the State Foster Care system along with her three younger sisters. Click here for a story by TS Garp posted in February.

"I knew that my other sisters were in foster care, and so, why not go and live with them. So things got situated with the Department of Social Services. So that's how I got into being a Ward of the State, and so, my aunt let me go. She didn't want to, but I wanted to," Oliver said.

"I was like her first daughter, so she didn't want me to go. I thought, at times, that my life was at an end. I struggled with not having parents, but then again, Evette was always there for me, like a mother and father again," Oliver said. "I'm really blessed to have her as an aunt. I'm thankful for her. She stepped up, and not a lot of relatives would do that just freely."
 
Price's dedication has paid off for Oliver, who has won an outdoor state title in the 400 meters, as well as indoor crowns in the 500 and 800 meter runs.  

Oliver's excellence could land her track scholarships to schools such as Penn State, Florida A&M or nearby Morgan State of Baltiimore City, she said. 

"Twelve years of what [Price] taught me is why I'm really able to take charge. Everything that she taught me for those 12 years, I'm taking it in," Oliver said. "Behavior-wise, respect-wise, having the confidence, never giving up -- that's what she taught me. That's what I'm used to with her being in my life."
 
DigitalSports' Applause Scholarship is awarded in the amount of $500 toward the college education of an outstanding senior student-athlete who has exhibited great courage in overcoming adversity in order to make a positive contribution to his or her team.

DigitalSports awards six such Applause Scholarships over the course of every year -- one each to the male and female from each of the Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County territories covered by our media organization.

Similarly, one male from the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, and one female from the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland will be honored during each of the three sports' seasons on a yearly basis.

At the indoor Class 1A and Class 2A state championships this past winter season at the Prince George's County Sports & Learning Complex, Oliver had the performances of a lifetime. 

Oliver, in success, was runner-up in the 300-meter dash, returned to the track about 15 minutes later and crushed her competition with a state-record 1:16.94 clocking in the 500-meter run, and then won her race of the 800-meters.

"It's hard, being that you're an athlete, but you've got to stay focused. And just to let everybody know out there, it doesn't matter where you come from, who your parents are, this and that," Oliver said.

"Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't do this or you can't beat anybody," Oliver said. "If I can do it, you can do it. Just believe in yourself and have high standards for yourself. You have to have that main goal."