CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: SPANISH TRANSLATION SERVICES

National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

In the District, Student Support Services includes Spanish Translation Services, staffed by Carmen Olivas and Sabine Oakland.

Mrs. Olivas has been with the District since 2002. Formerly a community advocate, Mrs. Oakland joined the Spanish Translation Services this year to assist with an influx of Spanish-speaking families, mainly from South America.

“I’ve always wanted to serve the community through education,” Mrs. Oakland said. “So when this position opened up, I came over to be with Carmen.”

As children, Mrs. Olivas and Mrs. Oakland moved, with their families, to the United States, from Mexico and Ecuador, respectively.

Having to navigate through a new country without speaking the language provided a solid foundation for the work the women do for the District and community on a daily basis.

“We know first-hand what these families are going through,” Mrs. Olivas said.

As part of their duties, the women travel to schools throughout the District to help new mono-lingual families register for enrollment.

“Many times, these parents don’t know how to write or read, so we help them fill out the applications as well as answer any questions,” Mrs. Olivas said. “It’s faster for both of us to go into the school and help with the registration.”

While Mrs. Olivas and Mrs. Oakland provide written, spoken, and simultaneous translation to mono-lingual families as needed, their responsibilities extend far beyond that.

The women work in partnership with the Department of Social Services, Los Pobres and Pueblo Cooperative Care Center, as well as the District’s homeless liaison, James Patterson, to help provide food, clothing and essentials to families in need.

“Many of our families come into Pueblo and although they have jobs, they don’t have a home,” Mrs. Olivas said. “So they will share a home until they are able to get a home by themselves.

“At the beginning of the school year, we had a situation in which four families were living in one house. And they had a fire at the house, so we helped those families with food, clothing, laundry: whatever they needed. And that’s what we continue to do.”

Often times, a representative of the Department of Social Services will contact Spanish Translation Services to request assistance in providing aid to a family in distress.

“This could include helping a family fill out a Medicaid application, or directing them to resources,” Mrs. Olivas said.

The District appreciates the work of Mrs. Olivas and Mrs. Oakland, as well as the many valued community partners who are dedicated to helping those scholars and families who are most in need.