Five Spanish speakers completed a hybrid Interpreter Orientation workshop in Grand Island, Nebraska, on June 28 and July 1. The workshop began with an introduction to court interpreter ethics, followed by instruction on the three modes of court interpreting: consecutive interpretation, simultaneous interpretation, and sight translation. Hall County District Court Judges Mark Young and Mark Butler made their courtrooms available for the practice sessions.

On July 1, Hall County Court Judges Alfred Corey and Arthur Wetzel welcomed the prospective interpreters into their courtrooms and offered the court's perspective on the importance of language access in Nebraska courts.  Local attorneys and court reporter Lori Moss shared their insights on successful court interpretation.

The workshop was facilitated and organized by Statewide Language Access Coordinator Jennifer Verhein and Interpreter Coordinator Irma Watt.

Photo: Interpreter Coordinator Irma Watt surrounded by aspiring court interpreters from central Nebraska.
(Left to right) Antonio Garcia Campos, Grand Island; Marco Jaramillo, Kearney; Jessica Corea, Kearney; Cesar Garcia, Imperial; and Lydia Garcia, Imperial