By Jim Ridolphi
Special Correspondent

Citizenship is something many take for granted, but − for 25 naturalized immigrants − it’s the culmination of a dream.

“Today exceeded all my expectations,” said Octavio Wilson, originally from Venezuela and one of the applicants who became a citizen at a ceremony last week at Tomahawk Creek Middle School near Midlothian. “This will allow me to vote and to pursue my dream of becoming a police officer, something I’ve wanted to do since I arrived in 1998.”

The auditorium at Tomahawk was packed as the school hosted its first naturalization ceremony, but it was not the students’ first exposure to the process.

“I have taken students to the federal court building for ceremonies for the past three years,” said event co-organizer and social studies teacher Rebecca Fox.

“The Honorable M. Hannah Lauck, today’s presiding judge, has supported and hosted us at the court building in the past. My students have always commented on what an amazing experience it is to go there. My only regret is I have only been able to take 30 students at a time and wanted to do something more,” she added.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was the keynote speaker and struck a patriotic message for the new citizens as well as an appreciative student audience.

“You’ve come from all corners of the world to be here in America to become part of this diverse, complex and great American family. Welcome to all of you,” Cuccinelli said. “Today, you share in the promise of the American dream,” he added.

Cuccinelli did not underestimate the resolve of citizens who leave their homelands to become Americans.

“To renounce all allegiance to your former home is not something to be taken lightly. To swear loyalty and allegiance to the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic is a
profound duty,” he added.

The Attorney General urged the new citizens to let their neighbors know the contrasting values of governments from their home countries when compared to the United States.

“It is something powerful you can share with your fellow Americans. It’s easy to take for granted what we have in America,” Cuccinelli said.

Judge Lauck said the ceremony officially recognized the 25 applicants as citizens, but the choice of whether to become patriots was up to them.

“Today, each of you becomes an American citizen, but you must also choose whether to become a patriot,” she said. “A patriot welcomes both the benefits and the burdens of citizenship.”

Fox said the ceremony is a poignant lesson for her students, well worth the extensive planning it took her and fellow teacher Matt Porter to complete.

“This ceremony is important because we teach citizenship − duties and responsibilities, how one becomes a U.S. citizen (through birth or naturalization), and character traits of a good citizen,” she said.

“Citizenship is something so many people take for granted. It is important for our students to witness the efforts of immigrants from around the world and the sacrifices they make to become American citizens,” she added.

Porter said the effort was well worth it. “I think it was a great turnout for an excellent ceremony and it was great for the kids to witness this. It’s so much better than just reading about it in class,” he said.

Eighth grader Frankie Urcia delivered a message of citizenship to the new citizens in the form of an essay that earned her first place in the school’s essay contest.

She also acknowledged the hard work and commitment required to become naturalized citizens.

“We admire the hard work that each of you have put forth to earn what all Americans should view as an honor − being an American citizen,” Urcia said.

Tomahawk Creek principal David Ellena said this year’s ceremony was a meaningful and important lesson for his students, and hinted the ceremony could become an annual event.

“The students actually got an idea and sense of what they (the applicants) had to go through to get what they were given at birth. That’s a whole different perspective for them to have,” he said. “This is the first time we’ve had the ceremony here, and hopefully we can continue to do that.”