Each year, a small group of high school students are selected to serve as a translator for medical brigades that visit Honduras. Students are selected by the counselor and teachers based on their academic performance, leadership abilities, responsibility, and Spanish and English strengths. In the past, these students have supported a variety of medical missions including dentistry, optometry, prolotherapy, and general medicine that serve the needs of the La Ceiba and surrounding communities
Student testimonials:
"For the past three years, I've had the opportunity to participate as a translator at the Red Cross on behalf of Mazapan School. During the first week I participated, I was convinced that medicine was the field for me. It gave me a chance get face to face with the reality of the community we live in and how I would like to spend the rest of my adult life doing so. I've got to see, meet, and volunteer with doctors who have such good will to serve the people of La Ceiba and the rest of Honduras. Personally, after every time I finish my translating week, I am touched to have been there to listen to the patient's complaints, converse with them about anything they like while they are being attended, and finally, just the chance to volunteer my time to such a great cause."
Angela F., Grade 11
"When I was asked to go translating my first thought was, “this will probably look good on my resume, count me in”. That was the thing I was thinking about the first day I went there. It was tiring standing up for hours, and only having 1 break, but the satisfaction I felt when I was leaving totally surpassed tiredness . The fact that you can help so many people by literally just talking feels pretty nice. Just seeing how grateful the patients are after they leave is heart filling. At the end of the day, I left the Red Cross with a feeling of warmth, anxious to go back the next day."
-Mariana G., Grade 10
"Translating for the medical brigade opened my eyes to the reality and necessity of many people in our community that don't have the resources to attend a doctor when they are feeling ill. These medical brigades provide a helping hand to those people in need and knowing that I took even a small part in that volunteer work fulfills me in an entirely new way. This experience meant much more to me than just practicing my English. I got to be enlightened in the world of medicine, but I also got to listen to the patient's heart-touching stories while I held their hand so that they would get distracted from the pain. It was both an intellectual and humanitarian adventure that was worth every second and that I would be more than excited to repeat."
Karen, Grade 12