Faith Baptista, daughter of David and Lorelei Baptista, has served as the student representative for the City of Coronado’s Parks and Recreation Commission since October 2019. She was appointed to the position as a sophomore at Coronado High School. Due to shutdowns with the pandemic, Faith volunteered to fulfill this appointment through her senior year of high school.
Faith experienced Parks and Recreation Commission meetings in person, virtually and as a mix of both. She said she appreciated being a part of local government and directly experience how it works. She heard presentations first-hand regarding playground upgrades, kiosks at the beach, sports field use, public art installations and park master plans. During her tenure, she interviewed Recreation Department supervisors to learn more about how professional staff create programs to serve the community’s needs.
While serving as a student commissioner, Faith also was a cadet in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. After four years, she reached the rank of Cadet Lieutenant Junior Grade. Faith earned numerous recognitions including the American Legion Academic Medal for NJROTC, the Military Order of the World Wars JROTC Award of Merit, the Coronado High School Top Academic Student in Math (2019 and 2021), English (2021), and Performing Arts (2021).
Faith’s favorite experience as a commissioner was her participation in citywide events, which allowed her to experience the impact Recreation and Golf Services has on the community. Faith’s time on the Parks and Recreation Commission is ending as she graduates from high school and heads to New York University this fall to pursue a degree in film and television. Her dedication to the City is greatly appreciated.
