If you walk into hospitals, schools or other community departments there are likely signs in English and Spanish in the halls.

But, what happens inside the doctor's office or the classroom if you don't speak English?

Talking to your child's teacher, or having your doctor tell you what to take for a cold is easy enough if you speak English.

"They are our lifeline," Grand Island's Howard Elementary School Principal Julie Schnitzler said.

Interpreters are an important resource for the school system.

"Not only to help students be successful academically, but also to help students and parents with the cultural piece," Grand Island Public Schools English Language Learning Coordinator Amanda Levos said.

This is especially important in schools like Howard Elementary, where ninety percent of the student base is Hispanic. Of that number, sixty-six percent qualify for ELL.

"I usually ask a student, would your parents prefer to speak to me in Spanish or English?" Schnitzler said. "Because, even if the kids know how to speak English and understand, that doesn't mean the parents know how to speak."

This means that even when they're in the classroom or with students, bilingual para educators often have to step away to take calls from parents.

"The interpreters aren't so much for the students," Schnitzler said. "The interpreters are really for the parents."

But, even with splitting time, it's a step forward from calling on students as a go between.

"The school district is doing a great job about training the para-educators, training their staff, in the use of interpreters and not using children," Grand Island Multicultural Coalition Director Carlos Barcenas said.

That's a move that other important community resources are making too.

"We have seen a shift in the community that more and more providers are understanding that they better go with a trained interpreter for medical issues," Barcenas said.

Saint Francis Medical Center Interpreter Manager Candy Martinez said she's seen that change within the hospital.

"Before you just used a family member," she said. "No matter what age they were, you just used that family member."

Now, the difference, is making sure nothing is lost in translation.

"I mean, you bring in your child and they're not going to understand half the stuff that that person is saying and they're just going to be interpreting as best they can and so much is going to be missed," Martinez said.

But, getting an interpreter sometimes means rolling with the punches.

"We need lot of flexibility because you never know what's going to happen within the hospital," Martinez said. "We know our schedule outside the hospital but within the hospital is when, surprise."

That rings especially true with just four full time interpreters on staff.

"We cover the hospital. We cover E.R, birthing, anything that pertains to the hospital, admissions, out patient, in patient, short stay surgery," she said. "Oncology, alcohol and drug rehab, wellness center, home health needs."

It's something that Martinez said may be worth the wait.

"Just because you have two hands doesn't mean you can play the piano. Just because you're bilingual doesn't mean you can interpret."