This year’s School Outreach Contest winner, Spanish<>English court-certified interpreter Suhey Tapia, inspired students at McKinna Elementary’s Career Day by demonstrating the unique challenges and rewards of interpreting.
Bringing Interpreting to Life for Young Students
Suhey gave her School Outreach presentation to a lively group of third- and fourth-graders at her niece’s school, McKinna Elementary, on Career Day. Although she was hoping to present to her niece’s own class, Suhey delighted another class with an interactive presentation on interpreting. To prepare, she thought about what would resonate with this young audience, incorporating a mix of videos, live demonstrations, and activities to keep the students engaged.
Suhey’s presentation began with a simple explanation of the difference between translators and interpreters, followed by a video from ATA titled A Day in the Life of a Translator or Interpreter. This sparked curiosity and questions from the students, who wanted to know, “What if you don’t know a word?” and “Do you have to say EVERYTHING?” Suhey answered these questions with stories from her experiences, sharing both the challenges and the rewards of her profession.
She then played a clip from a classic TV show, I Love Lucy, where the characters participate in a funny relay interpreting situation. This clip had both the students and the teacher laughing out loud. Afterwards, the students compared the clip to the “telephone” game, which was a clear sign that they were actively engaged in the presentation and understanding the concepts Suhey presented.
Suhey said the highlight of her presentation was when she brought in her interpreting equipment, giving the students a chance to try simultaneous interpreting themselves. The students were thrilled to step into the role of an interpreter and navigate the challenge of listening and speaking simultaneously. “Seeing their excitement and curiosity reminded me of why I love what I do,” Suhey said. She loved watching them give interpreting a try: “The activity was challenging for them, but they approached it with such enthusiasm and creativity, and it was really fun to watch,” she explained.
She also told the students what she enjoys most about her career as an interpreter: helping people understand each other, ensuring language access, and the travel opportunities it provides.
The presentation ended with a piece of advice Suhey wished she’d heard as a student: “Find a career that excites you and makes you happy to go to work every day.” With enthusiastic applause and warm feedback from both the students and the teacher, Suhey knew her message had resonated.
School Outreach Contest
By sharing your story and photo, you could win a free registration to the ATA Annual Conference!