GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Becoming an American citizen is not easy.

But the smiles and cheers of 50 individuals as they took the Oath of Allegiance last Friday proved that the journey is worth it. 

In collaboration with the United States District Court Judges, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Green Cove Springs Junior High School hosted a naturalization ceremony to welcome the new citizens warmly.

The ceremony aimed to give Civics students a hands-on learning experience, immersing them in the process. The cafeteria was transformed into a courtroom, where family members watched on, and students became participants and spectators of the momentous occasion. 

Each student escorted a candidate to their seat, presenting their name and where they were from. 

The participants were between 20 and 70 years old. They originated from 29 countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bahamas, Belarus, Bermuda, Canada, Brazil, Burma, Cuba, China, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, India, Portugal, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam and Venezuela. 

Seventh-grade Civics Teacher Michael Taft has been helping put the event together for three years and said that citizenship is the first benchmark taught in the class. Students also need to be immersed in the last step of the process. 

"That's an awesome thing for these kids to witness," Taft said. "We hear about naturalization and the struggles people have gone through to become a citizen of this country. But, for the people here today to witness fifty people, they have accomplished that major hurdle and have become a citizen of the country, so I think it's a wonderful thing."

For Chief District Judge Marcia Morales Howard, who presided over the ceremony, it's always essential to bring these types of ceremonies out of the courtroom and into the lives of the community. 

"It's the greatest reminder of how lucky we are to be American citizens," Howard said. "When you hear how hard these people work to become our fellow citizens, when you see the looks of pride, hope,

and joy just explode across their faces when they're declared new citizens, it's an incredibly uplifting event." 

Taft said he hopes the event eventually spreads to other junior highs in the county, ensuring all students can witness what it means to become an American citizen.