CHEVIOT, Ohio — Here in the Tri-State, 61 people are now officially U.S. citizens. The naturalization ceremony was held at Cheviot Elementary on Friday.
Students participated in the ceremony, and they led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and sang songs, including “This Land is Your Land.”
"The hard work you have put in to get to this moment should not go unnoticed," one students said during the ceremony. "So today, we recognize your accomplishment."
Vijay Antony left India to come to the United States. He said it's been a long journey — years of waiting, paperwork, studying and tests — to get to where he is today.
“We as a family are able to get through this process and finally, we are here," Antony said. "Today's the day, and this is a moment to cherish. We are very happy."
And now, it's time to celebrate.
Neti Jayasree is also from India. Jayasree was so happy to officially be an American citizen that she was at a loss of words.
"I cannot express myself,” she said.
She said the ceremony was very special.
“It was incredible," Jayasree said. "They sang very nice."
Cheviot's principal, Tammy Soloman-Gray, said it was a great experience for the students to be a part of the naturalization ceremony. She said they plan to do it again in the future.
"Very moving and tear-jerking for sure,” Soloman-Gray said. “Just the pride…this the pride of my students and being proud of our great country for being so welcoming to so many people around the world. It just makes our country greater.”
Today was about people from more than 30 different countries, cultures and backgrounds coming together.
Antony says the celebration of that diversity was a very warm welcome to America.
"Today is the day they realize, yes, I can live peacefully in this country," he said. "And that is what I’m thinking too."
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