Eighteen-year-old Noemi Reyes talks a lot about the warmth and love of her family. In her case, there is a lot of family to talk about. Her grandfather’s twelve children all lived together in one home when she was born. As her family grew, they continued to live, work, worship, and raise children close together. Noemi is now the oldest of six siblings. Her aunts and uncles have provided Noemi with thirty cousins. Despite their impressive numbers, there is not yet a single college graduate in the family. In her own words, Noemi explained that college was not even a consideration when she was a little girl:
“I always struggled in school. English is my second language, and it was very difficult for me to learn to speak and write. I lived in a household where no one spoke English so there was no one to help me with my homework. Kids bullied me for not knowing how to pronounce words correctly or how to say my classmates’ names. I hated school and did not believe that I could be successful. I certainly did not consider attending college.
Once, for a school project, I had to present what career I wanted when I grew up. I wanted to be a nurse but was quickly discouraged because many of my classmates told me that in order to be a nurse; I had to learn to speak better English. This made me withdraw and be very self-conscious of the way I spoke. I went home and cried to my family that I no longer wanted to be a nurse.
The only one to question me abandoning my career path was my grandpa. He explained that there would always be someone to hurt your feelings or try to keep you from pursuing a dream, but that it was up to me whether or not I met my goals and doing my best was all that mattered. From that day on, I knew I needed to worry less about the thoughts of other people. I decided then to perform well in school, to attend college, to get a good job, to help my family with finances, to get us out of working in the fields, and to show my siblings that it is possible to do all these things even in our circumstances.”
While she struggled to speak English, her teachers noticed that she loved to read books. By third grade, she was reading chapter books in English. Encouraged by her teachers and inspired by her love of reading, she began bringing home armfuls of books. There, she would read with her family, so that the whole family could learn English together. As her confidence with English grew, so did her conviction about her scholastic goals. She knew she needed to go to college. Still, nobody in her family had ever earned a college degree. The idea felt daunting.
“Money was standing in my way. I knew that there was no way that my family could help in paying for college. It was not until I found Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) that my dream of going to college began to turn into a reality. I began attending SRTC during 11th grade as a Dual Enrollment student. I was amazed that I could take college classes while in high school. SRTC opened my eyes to the possibilities ahead. Through Dual Enrollment, I was able to attain my certificates in both Emergency Medical Responder and Nurse Aide before high school graduation. It was just unbelievable!”
Noemi graduated from high school in 2020, but it was not to be a summer of celebration. Her beloved grandfather was hospitalized with COVID-19. Because of pandemic restrictions, the hospital did not allow her family to visit while he was sick. Noemi worried that he was not being treated with the warmth and love that he had always radiated to his family. On July 9, 2020, Higinio Reyes Duarte, the head of his family, passed away surrounded by the family that meant everything to him. The loss was nearly unbearable for Noemi, but even in death, her grandfather continued to inspire her.
“My path is set. I know that I can be that nurse who will provide each patient with loving care. I will stand in the place for families who may not be able to be present with their loved ones. I will be that nurse who helps in a helpless situation. Family means always having someone there for you. Some of my patients might not come from a big family like mine, but as a nurse, I can share the warmth and love that my family have given to me. I will honor my grandpa through my education and throughout my career.”
On March 4, 2021, SRTC named Noemi Reyes their 2021 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership winner. Reyes’ nominating instructor Leigh Ann Reed said, “Noemi's work ethic, bedside manner during clinical rotations, dedication in classroom and clinicals, academics, and her positive personality were some of her attributes that lead to my decision on choosing her as my GOAL nominee. Noemi is a great asset to the SRTC Practical Nursing Program.” On Monday, May 10, the Technical College System of Georgia announced that Noemi was one of the top nine GOAL delegates in the State of Georgia. She will compete in state-level judging on May 18.
Noemi will graduate from the Practical Nursing program in July of 2021. She will be the very first member of her family to earn a college degree, but she will not be the last. Currently, six more of her family members are enrolled in college, and Noemi says she is continually encouraging more of her family members to join her at SRTC. Though Noemi will achieve her goal of becoming a nurse in July, she plans to continue her education through SRTC’s LPN-RN Bridge program and beyond.
“I am doing something that I never dreamed of doing years ago. Although my English still has some flaws, I am no longer afraid to speak in public. I am no longer concerned that I do not measure up. I have been able to set the example for my brothers, sisters, and cousins to attend college and break the chain in our family of a future of working in the fields. We will make our parents proud and show them that their hard work is worth it for us. My family and I will be forever grateful to SRTC and for the choices and opportunities it has provided in my community”