Cristina K. Ovalles, Youth Facilitator, Dominican Republic Youth Summer Facilitator (2010)

Cristina K. Ovalles joined GP Boston in March 2010. She is currently in her senior year at Harvard College, and in May of 2011, she will graduate with a B.A. in Sociology. Although Cristina was born in the United States, she is originally from the Dominican Republic, and she enjoys listening to bachata, playing dominoes, and eating Spanish food.

In terms of previous experiences, Cristina has worked as a teacher in the International Institute, where she taught Introductory English to a group of adult immigrants. During the summer of 2009, Cristina also travelled to Argentina and worked in the Community Bank of Medications, a program that provides free medicine to poor, chronically-ill patients. Among other tasks, her duties involved classifying medications, translating documents, and calling medical offices, so her ability to speak both English and Spanish were extremely useful.

Cristina has also tutored Harvard employees for their citizenship test through the Harvard Bridge to Literacy Program, and she translated stories for Dominican orphans. The Keylatch After-School Program has also provided her with the opportunity to mentor seven students from Boston’s South End. This past summer 2010, Cristina was an amazing presence in Batey 7, Dominican Republic, as Summer Facilitator.