Community Spanish interpreters give back to the community | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    They stop and help at the pharmacy counter when someone is struggling. They get asked for help in the aisles of Walmart or in the streets. These Spanish interpreter students go out of their way to step in when they see people with frustrated and lost looks on their faces. They grew up in Spanish-speaking households and had to help their parents through similar struggles and now they are giving back to community.

    Three students at Beaufort County Community College are receiving their community Spanish interpreter certificates this week, the first students to do so. Marlen Avelar Gomez, Ana Karen Cuevas-Tellez and Gerardo Olivares, all fifth year students at the Early College High School at BCCC will finally have a certificate that reinforces the role that they have already played in the community. All ECHS students graduate not only with a high school diploma but also an associate degree.

    Growing up in a bilingual household where the Spanish is heavy and the English is light means that children become interpreters at an early age as their parents confront a largely monolingual English-speaking community. They quickly learn about adult subjects like law or medicine as they help their parents through intimidating and complex situations where staff are Spanish-deficient.

    The community Spanish interpreter curriculum prepares individuals to work as entry-level professionals in basic Spanish communication skills who will provide communication access in interviews and interactions. In addition, this curriculum provides educational training for working professionals who want to acquire Spanish language skills for education, social settings and the workplace.

    Gomez grew up interpreting for her parents at meetings when few programs existed to help English speakers communicate with Spanish speakers. She plans to attend UNC-Charlotte where she would like to use her Spanish interpreter certificate to intern at a law firm. Gomez has ambitions of continuing on to law school. "The program has taught me to speak in a better manner," she said. All of the students said their Spanish has grown stronger through the program.

    The course work includes the acquisition of Spanish grammar, structure and sociolinguistic properties. It also walks students through the thought processes associated with interpretation between Spanish and English and the structure and character of the Hispanic community. Jose Mendoza, Spanish instructor, heads up the certification program. The students were appreciative of his efforts and that of Dean Lisa Hill for making the program happen.

    Cuevas-Tellez will use her certificate to work in either a court or medical setting. She wants to pursue social work. Olivares will head to UNC-Charlotte where he plans to pursue computer programing. He plans to use his certificate to help pay for college and to help out the community.

    The students are reluctant to charge for the services they have carried out their entire lives. Lucera Morales, a medical office administration student, said she thinks interpretation is the right thing to do. Lesly Rivera, a fourth year ECHS student, helps customers regularly at the Dominos where she works. "Customers ask if anyone speaks Spanish and they are always relieved when I can interpret," she said.

    As these three students leave BCCC, they will have a certificate that will make them more marketable as students and professionals, but, more importantly, there will be a few less frustrated and lost faces in the community.

    For more information about the community Spanish interpreter certificate, contact Jose Mendoza at (252) 940-6294 or jose.mendoza@beaufortccc.edu or Lisa Hill at (252) 940-6223 or lisa.hill@beaufortccc.edu.


    Contact: Attila Nemecz
         Public Relations Coordinator

      Beaufort County Community College

       5337 US Hwy 264 East
       Washington, NC 27889

       252.940.6387  •  attila.nemecz@beaufortccc.edu