Students Assist at Naturalization Ceremonies on Constitution Day/Citizenship Day
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Students from the award-winning Bel Canto Choir from Huntington Middle School in San Marino, California performing the National Anthem at a naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles on Sept. 20.
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U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder delivers the Oath of Allegiance to new citizens during one of two ceremonies the federal court hosted in Los Angeles on Sept. 20.
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U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sandra R. Klein shakes hands with military members who were naturalized at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sept. 20. The Central District of California has a tradition of greeting the military immediately after the ceremony.
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Students from Oyster Bay High School in Oyster Bay, New York helped during a naturalization ceremony at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.
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The Oyster Bay High School Chamber Singers sang the National Anthem during a naturalization ceremony at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, New York.
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Fifty people became new U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, New York.
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Fifty new citizens say the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony at Red Bank High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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The Red Bank High School band played the National Anthem at a naturalization ceremony in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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Third-graders from Tubman Elementary in Washington, D.C. took the Preamble Challenge at a naturalization ceremony with U.S. Judge Randolph Moss.
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Thirty people became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
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New citizens say the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony at Northwest Jackson International Baccalaureate Middle School in Jackson, Mississippi.
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The Saint Louis University law school choir sang during a naturalization ceremony on Sept. 8.
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Roughly 1,000 people became citizens at a naturalization ceremony at Saint Louis University's Chaifetz Arena on Sept. 8.
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Students say the Pledge of Allegiance during at naturalization ceremony at Brentwood High School in St. Louis.
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A student leads the Pledge of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony at Brentwood High School in St. Louis.
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Eighty-nine people from 43 countries say the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time as new citizens at Miami University in Hamilton, Ohio.
Federal courts around the country celebrated Constitution Day and Citizenship Day by arranging for students to welcome new U.S. citizens at nearly 50 naturalization ceremonies throughout September. The events marked the 230th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.
Students of all ages attended the living civics lessons, with the opportunity to recite letters and poems to newly naturalized citizens, perform the national anthem, or lead the Pledge of Allegiance – activities aimed at giving them a better understanding of the process of becoming a citizen.
Courts from Hawaii to New Hampshire and from Illinois to Texas involved their communities and local schools — from elementary grades to graduating law school classes — in the events. Naturalization ceremonies typically take place in ceremonial courtrooms, but many courts opted to host them at schools, universities, convention centers, and national parks and historic sites for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.
In Concord, New Hampshire, District Judge Landya McCafferty gave 200 middle school students hands-on experience with each branch of government. Both the governor and the speaker of the House spoke at a naturalization ceremony, and the students toured the statehouse and had on-site lessons about the governor’s office, the legislature, and the state court system.
In Peoria, Illinois, 400 eighth graders witnessed Central Illinois District Court Chief Judge James E. Shadid swear in more than 680 new citizens at the Peoria Civic Center. To help them prepare for the experience, the Peoria Public Schools produced a video in which the students explained their favorite freedom in the Bill of Rights. Students also wrote letters of welcome that they delivered to the new citizens. One eighth grader wrote:
“Your simple presence on this soil only adds to our wealth of diversity. You, as every human does, deserve to pursue your own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”
Here is a sampling of other Constitution Day and Citizenship Day events:
Los Angeles
Two ceremonies were held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sept. 20, 2017, with California Central Bankruptcy Judge Sandra R. Klein and District Judge Christina A. Snyder presiding. Nearly 10,000 people were naturalized, and the Huntington Middle School choir performed during one of the ceremonies.
District of Columbia
Students from the Harriet Tubman Elementary School recited the Preamble to the Constitution and led the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony on Sept. 12, 2017 at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss presided over the ceremony for more than 100 new citizens.
Oyster Bay, New York
New York Eastern Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson presided over a naturalization ceremony at former President Theodore Roosevelt’s home at Sagamore Hill on Sept. 18, 2017, welcoming about 50 new citizens. Student contest winners from the Oyster Bay East Norwich School District read an open letter and poem, and musical ensembles from Oyster Bay High School performed.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
A naturalization ceremony at Red Bank High School featured a performance from the school band and a presentation of colors by the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Color Guard. Tennessee Eastern District Court Judge Harry S. Mattice presided over the ceremony on Sept. 19, 2017 for about 50 new citizens.
St. Louis
Roughly 1,000 new citizens took the Oath of Allegiance, led by Missouri Eastern Magistrate Judge Shirley Padmore Mensah, at Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Arena on Sept. 8, 2017. The university’s law school choir performed the national anthem and “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”
Missouri Eastern District Judge Catherine D. Perry presided over a naturalization ceremony on Sept. 21, 2017 at Brentwood High School, where students led the Pledge of Allegiance and performed the national anthem. Students invited new citizens to attend a reception following the ceremony, where they were presented with congratulatory cards.
Jackson, Mississippi
Middle school students participated in a naturalization ceremony at Northwest Jackson International Baccalaureate Middle School on Sept. 18, 2017. The school’s choir performed, while other students served as ushers and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mississippi Southern District Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson presided.
The Judiciary’s coverage of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is on Twitter, @uscourts.
Related Topics: Events and Ceremonies, Public Education