Interpreters are sought for court
Interpreters are sought for court
The state Judiciary is seeking individuals who speak English and another language to become court interpreters. Applications are now being accepted for the next state court interpreter orientation workshop to be held on each of the major islands in February and March. Completion of the two-day workshop is one of the mandatory requirements to become a court interpreter for the Hawaii State Judiciary.
The two day workshop will be held on Feb. 14-15 in Kona and Feb. 28-March 1 in Hilo.
Registration deadline is Jan. 15. Registration forms are available on the Judiciary’s website and from the Office on Equality and Access to the Courts at (808) 539-4860.
The workshop registration fee is $75. A grant from the Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation and Hawaii Friends of Justice and Civic Education is being used to lower the cost from the original $120 fee.
Certified sign language interpreters are also encouraged to apply.
In addition to successfully completing the orientation workshop, persons seeking to become a state court interpreter must pass a written English proficiency exam and court interpreter ethics exam and clear a criminal background check.
Court interpreters work on a freelance basis as independent contractors in cases when parties or witnesses are unable to hear, understand, speak or use English sufficiently. Depending on their performance on written and oral exams, court interpreters are paid between $25-$55 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
Veteran speaks to students
On “Take a Veteran to School Day” on Nov. 9, Elizabeth Moore visited the second-graders in Ingrid Moreau’s class at St. Joseph Elementary School to talk to students about her time in the U.S. Army.”
Moore told the students that she joined the Army shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, the day of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
She spent five years on active duty as an air traffic controller, “and absolutely loved my job.” She got to see and fly in all different sorts of planes and helicopters.
Moore said that the military training she received enabled her to land her present job as an air traffic controller in Hilo. Moore and several other vets visited classrooms, then joined the students for lunch in the cafeteria.