1206. Born to Talk: Using Her Natural Abilities in Two Great Careers

Armed with only a B.S. degree in English, Helen plunged herself into learning Spanish on the job in Nicaragua. The nation was engaged in a major literacy campaign, and there was also a thirst among university students for learning English. She spent 20 years teaching English as a second language there.

Back in the U.S., Helen began work toward a master’s degree in education. To earn money, she took a community college class in court interpreting. She realized this was the work for her and quickly changed direction. Twenty years later (2024) she retired from the Supreme Court, State of Rhode Island.