PORTLAND, Maine — A crowd of students piled into the gym at Lyman Moore Middle School in Portland on Friday.
But the assembly was not to boost a sports team or show off science projects. The students were there to bear witness.
Thirty people from 20 countries became U.S. citizens that morning.
Kurt Pelletier works for U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. He told NEWS CENTER Maine around 12,000 people are naturalized in Maine each year.
But each ceremony, and each person's path to that moment, is special.
"Each of you and your journeys was different," Pelletier addressed the group of new Americans, as the students and teachers looked on. "All of you chose to make America your adopted home and become United States citizens here today."
A student choir sang "The Star Spangled Banner." Later, a student band played "Let Freedom Ring." Speakers congratulated and challenged the group. Pelletier administered an oath of citizenship before students led them all in the pledge of allegiance. Finally, each new American was called up by name to receive an official certificate.
Regine Ndayizeye could not stop smiling through the entire ceremony. She fled her native Burundi 13 years prior, seeking asylum in the U.S.
"I feel like now I have what I was fighting for," she beamed. "This is my day."
Her son couldn't stop smiling either.
"She struggled to get these papers, and she fought for us," he explained. "Now, we will be next to get our citizenship!"
He kissed his mother on the cheek and danced in front of the rest of their family.
David Hilton is the social studies teacher who helped organize the ceremony, which used to be at least a semi-annual tradition at the school before the COVID-19 pandemic. He tailored classes around immigration and culture topics, and Friday was the culmination of those lessons.
"You learn because I said you should learn, but kids want to know why," he explained. "And when we connect them with countries and real people and new citizens, it sparks something that makes it more."
Hilton said he would try to host a ceremony again next year.