TOWAMENCIN- Hundreds gathered in the North Penn High School auditorium to confirm and naturalize thirty-eight individuals as the newest citizens of the United States of America. The program, which was sponsored by the Montgomery County Bar Association and the American Citizenship Committee, included performances by the North Penn High School orchestra, the North Penn choir who performed America The Beautiful, and was joined by the band in presenting the National Anthem, and the JROTC who gave a presentation of colors.

The Honorable Mark Levy, Prothonotary of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas administered the Oath of American Citizenship to the applicants. The oath requires the applicant for citizenship to “renounce all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign state or sovereignty,” and “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.”

As each new citizen walked across the stage they were greeted with a handshake and were given an American flag. North Penn senior Maggie Walsh, class president and daughter of the Honorable Montgomery County Judge Joseph P. Walsh who oversaw the event, was responsible for handing out the flags to the newest American citizens.

“I felt honored to be able to give our symbol of America’s freedom and strength to people who have yet to experience its greatness,” said Walsh.

The ceremony obviously meant a lot to the new citizens, but it also meant a lot to Walsh as she witnessed her father swear in new citizens for the first time.

“It felt special to watch my dad because I know he strongly believes in the importance of diversity, and it was cool to watch him invite new citizens into America to make it even more diverse and unique,” shared Walsh.

Seniors Bhushan Patel and Abbegael Greene both spoke at the ceremony, sharing personal experiences with the immigration process.

“I lived in India for ten years so I know how important it is to become a citizen and everything; I went through the process,” shared Patel.

Patel is one of many former immigrants who is now flourishing at North Penn. Each of these students experienced unique feelings.

“When I came here I didn’t speak English very well at all and I had a really thick accent which is pretty much gone now, but then it was bad. It was really hard because you know kids aren’t [always] nice and I was always awkward and it’s completely different from India,” shared Patel.

Patel and his family went through a naturalization themselves.

“I think for my parents it was most important because it meant a better life for us,” shared Patel.

“They grew up in India so they know life there is good it’s just not as good as [it is] here.”

Like many immigrants, Patel’s parents have strived to achieve the American Dream. They had relatives already living in America and their family’s presence in the United States encouraged them to push harder towards their dreams.

“Another reason [why American opportunity was important] is because the currency translates very well. A dollar is really strong in India and at those times my family wasn’t the richest so they came over here to send money back to their family in India because we have a bunch of relatives. So it helped [my parents] maintain life here and in India,” shared Patel.

Greene, whose South Korean grandmother became a U.S. citizen years ago, reflects on the personal significance of the ceremony.

“Seeing how much better my mom’s life was because she was here, it means everything to me. The fact that she could have the freedom to not only have all the liberties that come with being a U.S. citizen, but being able to pursue what she wanted and kind of having a little bit more freedom personally than she would have in South Korea where it’s a little more regimented,” shared Greene.

“My grandmother wanted to be safe. South Korea is like the hot spot. You’ve got all these different wars that are going on and that country just gets caught in the middle of everything. Her earliest memory is seeing the Japanese President on TV declaring war so coming to a place where it’s safe where there’s not a lot of battles fought on our grounds where she could feel comfortable….I think that meant everything to her,” shared Greene.

Michael Ardrell Richardson, originally a citizen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was one of the thirty-eight individuals who was granted citizenship today. He had to leave behind relatives and he had to give up citizenship in his birth country. The process took him a couple of months.

“It is important that you can take all the privileges not only just being a resident but being a citizen. It means that you will not only be able to help yourself but you can help others from my place and even with Americans here,” shared Richardson who can still visit his former country.

At the conclusion of the ceremony the new American citizens and their families and friends were treated to a reception hosted by the Montgomery Bar Association of light refreshments, many congratulatory hugs, and plenty of smiles and good conversation.