Volume 2, Issue 4.25
July 2007

Hello Tennessee Interpreters!

The South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee area has been identified by the Gallaudet University Regional Interpreter Education Center (GURIEC) as an underserved area, meaning it is an area where there is a high demand for interpreters but limited supply. In an effort to increase the number of qualified interpreters in the area GURIEC will be conducting a 3 step mentoring program in our region. And we would love you to be involved as either a mentor, mentor - trainer, or mentee. This project is free to you and there will even be travel assistance provided.

Applicants for MENTEE training will choose either Phase I, Phase II, or Phase III training. If you wish to apply for MENTOR training we are asking that you make a commitment to all three phases. With that said though, if you are not interested in being a Mentor Trainer, we still would like to have you involved as a

Mentor which would mean your commitment would only be to the Phase I training and the 6 months following to mentor 2 mentees. You will choose to attend either Phase I, Phase II or Phase III training, whichever is a more convenient date and location for you. On the application form, there will be a place for you to indicate your preference to be trained only as a Mentor Trainer or Mentor and if so, to select the site that is most convenient for you. The full project description can be found at http://www.signs-of-development.org/3-step/3StepIntro.html. The sooner you complete the application process, the more likely you can ensure participation. The project will be accepting 10 Mentors and 20 Mentees for each training phase. After Phase I, 6 of you will be invited to participate in the Phase II and Phase III training to be provided additional training to become Mentor Trainers. By the way, there will be CEUs and Certificates of Completion provided for successful completion of all aspects of this process!

The training schedule for your region is as follows:

Phase I: August 24-25, 2007 in Wilson, NC
Phase II: Feb. 28 - March 1, 2008, in Chattanooga, TN (Please note a date change from what I announced earlier)
Phase III: August 21-23, 2008, in Spartanburg, SC

I will be serving as the project liaison for the state of Tennessee. Feel free to contact me with any questions you have at this point. You may feel free to print it and send it out to whoever meets the criteria for participation!

Sincerely,

Lisa Godfrey, M.S., CI/CT, ASLTA-Q, Master Mentor

Congratulations to our host, KTRID, the Convention was a success! Attendees enjoyed their intro to the new NIC test with a special focus on actual practice of the interview portion of the test. The theatre track got their hands dirty on Saturday performing skits for the rest of the group. The medical track learned to decode what "hyperphasitis" might be and discussed legal issues related to the medical field.

It was great to see everyone and put faces to names finally! I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

We followed all the excitement with a TRID business meeting where we made a few decisions. Welcome to our "new" board:

• President: Lisa Godfrey
• Vice President: Summer Chappell
• Secretary: Marie Griffin
• Treasurer: Carol LaCava