By Liz McBreen
On Oct. 16, a welcoming ceremony was held for them at Elmont Memorial High School.
Master of Ceremonies for the event and Director of Adult Education, Fred Raulli congratulated the new citizens on conquering "the unyielding bureaucracy" that is the naturalization process, and becoming members of a free and democratic society. "To be part of a totalitarian state is to be a slave to other men, but to be an American citizen and enjoy true freedom, is to pursue liberty unencumbered by any state."
Joseph and Josephine Allard moved to the United States from Malta 34 years ago, and recently passed their citizenship exams. According to Josephine, the entire citizenship process took almost a year, and the couple were sworn in on Oct. 23. "It feels wonderful to be a citizen. I have wanted to do it for so long, but I was afraid of that test!" said Allard. The new citizens are thankful to the Sewanhaka district for their help in making their dream of American citizenship a reality.
According to Raulli, two and a half years ago, Elmont residents who were interested in becoming American citizens spoke to Johnson about the difficulty of the process. Johnson, who is herself a naturalized citizen, understood the situation well. She contacted Goldstein, and a Continuing Education Citizenship class began at Elmont High School about two years ago. The class was created to help potential citizens achieve their goal.
"The entire process can take as long as ten years. Some people just give up because it is so time consuming," said Raulli. He explained that the application is the most difficult part, and it is necessary to have clear understanding of it in order to complete it correctly. The process also includes a course, a written test and taking the oath of citizenship.
Assemblyman Thomas Alfano, who was instrumental in helping the new citizens through the naturalization process, referred to Elmont as the Ellis Island of Nassau County.
"There are 72 different languages spoken in this town, and with the dedication of teachers, parents and the school board, the students of Elmont grow up to be intelligent and useful citizens of this country," said Alfano.
The Assemblyman relayed a story about a young girl who had moved with her family to Elmont from Turkey. Alfano met the girl at one of the elementary schools just days after arriving in America, and she could not speak a word of English. One year later, after having taken a summer course in reading in the Elmont school district, Alfano returned to the school to present an award to the young girl. When he presented the award, the young girl was able to respond to Alfano in perfect English. "That is what the Elmont schools are capable of," said Alfano.
Goldstein addressed the guests of honor with some suggestions on how to use their new citizenship. He encouraged them to become informed about the issues of the day, and get involved in the community. Most importantly, he advised them to register to vote. He described Americans' right to vote is one of their most precious, because by doing so, their individual voices are heard.
The superintendent also told the new citizens to stay in touch with the future of the community, the children and young people. "Listen to what they have to say, and do not take them for granted." Goldstein expressed his pride in the students of the Sewanhaka schools, telling the guests that after Sept. 11, they were able to raise $50,000 which was donated to the relief effort. "Every child in this district can be everything he or she wants to be."
Goldstein also asked his guests to instill strong values and ethics in their children, and their grandchildren. This sentiment was echoed by Raulli, who said, "What our young people are taught will be the ideas with which our nation is governed in the future."
Laura Barfield, the Adult Education Citizenship Teacher in the Sewanhaka School District, was the driving force behind the class's success. According to Goldstein, "Laura took the applications that the class had filled out, and brought them to the Immigration and Naturalization Office in Manhattan and sat there until something happened."
Barfield had the pleasure of presenting the class of new American citizens to their family and friends, and gave each of them an American flag and a gift.
"This is something that you cannot help but feel good about," said Raulli. "This is something that people want to do, and we are helping them achieve it. It feels great from a professional and personal point of view."
