Making Waves

by Candice Temple

Being around bodies of water, whether manmade or natural, has led Natalya Reyes to the place in life she feels she was meant to be.

At age 20, she’s living her dream. Perhaps it all started with her first swimming lesson at Burns Road Aquatic Complex. She says she has never really had a fear of water. That instinct will serve her well as a brand new “Coastie” in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Natalya has been part of City programs for as long as she can remember. She attended Riverside Youth Enrichment Center, swam on the Makos Swim Team in middle school, and logged 100 hours as a teenager with the Recreation Department’s Counselor in

Training Program. Her first paid job was as a Recreation Aide at the Burns Road Aquatic Complex where she eventually worked her way up. She has been a Lifeguard and Swim Instructor for the facility, as well.

Years later, it became apparent that service in the military was her calling. It was around the 5th grade that she decided public service would be her life goal.

“In middle school I remember learning that they were allowing women into any job in the military. I started researching opportunities and I got more excited,” she shares.

The daughter of the current Community Services Administrator/Director of Emergency Management for the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Natalya knew she wanted a career in first response or lifesaving. After so many years of watching her father David Reyes report for duty during hurricanes, she witnessed the work ethic and dedication to helping people and wanted to be part of that. She loved her time working as a lifeguard and learning CPR. Swimming was a big part of training in the Coast Guard and her experience through various roles with the City made her feel more confident when completing her classes. In fact, she already had the required CPR certification and was able to check that box for military requirements.

Weighing options, she looked at the Navy and the Marines before ultimately deciding on the Coast Guard because of its family-oriented management style and assignments based on the coast. With all the training and support from her real family and her Team Gardens, Natalya strapped on her boots and shipped out for basic training at Cape May, New Jersey on March 2, 2021. She credits her work for the City for turning her focus to opportunities with the Coast Guard.

“It was definitely difficult,” reflects Natalya. “In a way, I enjoyed the structure of it all. But, the fear of getting reverted (extra time in basic training for not meeting expectations) was a big pressure. It was very stressful!” Not only did she successfully complete boot camp, but she received the prestigious designation of Honor Graduate. The Honor Graduate for each graduating company is selected by the company instructors.

“It’s a huge deal because I represent my company commanders,” shares Natalya. “I didn’t think I deserved this. There were so many individuals who were strong and amazing.”

Working to create a connection with her fellow Coasties, the trait that earned her Honor Graduate recognition, is a skill she honed while working for the City. So far, her experience in the Coast Guard has lived up to her expectations. She’s still in the beginning stages of her career but is adjusting to her new life. Now that boot camp is complete, she is at her first duty station in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and has set her sights on her next goal: applying to Health Services Technician School.

Homegrown in the Gardens, and now making waves in the United States Coast Guard.

Natalya as a Swim Instructor at Burns Road Aquatic Complex