Godwin Heights — Senior Angel Ramos said his main reason, at first, for taking Godwin Heights High School’s new Community Interpreter class was that it looked good on a résumé.
After taking the class, Angel said, he realized he gained much more than just a boost to his bio.
“I feel like it made me say things more carefully, especially in medical settings, to make sure everything was communicated correctly,” he said. “It also showed me how to speak professionally and think more carefully about how to communicate clearly.”
The Community Interpreter class was a new offering at the high school for the 2025-26 school year. The one-semester class, open only to seniors, gives students the opportunity to earn a Community Interpreter certification that allows them to serve as interpreters after completing high school.
“It was important to bring the interpreter program to the high school because it creates real opportunities for students after graduation,” said Principal Michael Porco. “Many of our students already have strong language skills. This course gives them the chance to sharpen those skills with (teacher Kelly) Gray’s expert guidance and turn something they already bring with them into a credential and a pathway for their future.”
School counselors researched options and discovered the Community Interpreter Training program through Cross-Cultural Communications. The 40-hour national certificate program in community interpreting focuses on the professional needs of community interpreters and bilingual staff in health care, education, and social and human services.
“I just thought it was an amazing idea to provide students with an opportunity to channel their language skills into a possible career,” said Gray, who has taught Spanish for 26 years, 16 at Godwin Heights.
The district paid for Gray to complete both the program and the training program. In addition, it covers the cost for each student to complete the accreditation program. A total of 34 students have earned Community Interpreter Training certification.
Along with the certification, the program also focuses on ethics and professionalism, skills students can carry into any job, Gray said. Those skills included interview preparation and résumé building.
“It gets students thinking about professionalism and serves as a great springboard into a more professional setting,” she said. “They also leave with a professional interpreter certificate.”
Fluency Meets Opportunity
To work as interpreters, students must demonstrate proficiency in English and another language by earning a score of 80% or higher on the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy exam. Students also must be at least 18 years old and high-school graduates, which is why the class is offered only to seniors.
Senior Shani Valdez said she saw the program as a great opportunity because it provided her with a side job as she heads to Davenport University this fall and plans to eventually become an immigration lawyer.
“This program is not just for Spanish-speaking students, but for anyone who wants to do it and can speak a second language,” Shani said.
She said Gray’s openness, passion and understanding of students’ goals made the class enjoyable and encouraged students to earn their certification.
Through the class, Shani said she was able to practice her Spanish, helping her become a better communicator. And through role-playing different scenarios, she learned how to solve problems on the spot.
“Spanish-wise, I did notice certain things, such as saying medical terms correctly,” she said. “You have to make sure you are not giving the client or patient the wrong information.”
Gray connected with Liaison Linguistics, an interpretation and translation agency on 44th Street. Owner Nguyet-Anh Tran visited the classroom and discussed the work interpreters do.
“By having an actual interpreter in class, it gave us more of an understanding of the work in the field, such as how a virtual case would be handled compared with what you would do in person,” Gray said.
While fluent in Spanish because it is spoken at home, Angel said the program validates a person’s foreign language skills, which opens opportunities to connect with more people.
‘(The class) showed me how to speak professionally and think more carefully about how to communicate clearly.’
— senior Angel Ramos
Angel plans to attend Grand Rapids Community College in the fall to study business. He said he sees the Community Interpreter class as a benefit as he enters the field, and is excited about helping others.
Plus, he added, “My mom is happy that I am able to get (paid) for being able to speak another language.”
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