Education Meets Civics: New U.S. Citizens Sworn in at Marlton Elementary School
By Mike Dougherty
MARLTON, N.J. (CBS) -- It was a dream come true for more than 20 people today as they officially became American citizens.
This process began about 16 years ago for the Pale family, from the Philippines. Maribel, the mother, wanted a better life for her children.
"It's really a great feeling that now I'm not only living here but I'm also a citizen," she said today.
Her son, Stephen, is a senior at Cherokee High School, who said he's looking forward to voting for the first time.
"I'm going to read up on my politicians and see who I like, then make a vote, because that's a really big deal," he said.
The ceremony today also had an educational component, as fourth-grade students learned about citizenship and got to watch.
Lindsay Correll says this make her proud to be an American.
"We've learned about how hard they have to work to get to this moment that they're having today," she said.
Her teacher, Andrew Battle, says the having the students watch the ceremony is a powerful teaching tool.
The school's principal, Julio Feldman, is himself a naturalized citizen who emigrated from Cuba.