(REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.) - Amane Solomon is a lifeguard determined to leave her mark. The twenty-two year old Dover native began working at Rehoboth Beach Patrol six years ago, but she's still turning heads today. Solomon is the only black female lifeguard in the beach's history.
Co-workers call her positive, hard-working, and trustworthy. Solomon tells WRDE, "This job made me grow up into a better person and a better woman."
From the very first time she stepped on the sand, Rehoboth Beach Patrol Captain Kent Buckson knew she had great potential. "I knew she was a track runner and a swimmer in high school and I wanted to give her an opportunity to see if she could try out, and pass the test... and she did that," says Buckson.
Solomon recalls a conversation she had with her grandmother, who told her how drastically Rehoboth Beach has changed through the years. "I remember my grandmother saying that they only had one beach for African-Americans and that was a long time ago, but to be here and guard every beach and be a face of African-Americans, it's pretty nice."
Buckson believes Solomon makes a difference both on and off the beach. She's a junior lifeguard program instructor, and an assistant coach for the Dover high school swim team.
Solomon tells young hopefuls to keep pursuing their goals. "I say never give up on a dream. If you feel like you can do it, just go out and do it. if you start something, you need to finish it, and I feel like that's how everything should be."
She plans to get her athletic training certification when she graduates Delaware State University in 2018.