Karen Berman, assistant principal at Waite High, speaks about her move from Jamaica to the U.S. as a young child to the new citizens. 31 People become U.S. citizens in a naturalization ceremony at Waite High School in Toledo.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Making the Pledge of Allegiance are, from left, Deborah Ihuoma Arowolo, formerly of Nigeria; Ali Mohammed Awwad (cq), formerly of Jordan; Fatuma Ibrahim Barqadle, formerly of Somalia; Veronica Gloria Benitez, formerly of Mexico; and Natalia Olegovna Connolly, formerly of Russia.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Alex Garcia, 4, left, his brother Miguel, 6, and dad Inocencio Garcia, all of Ney, Ohio after the ceremony. Inocencio became a citizen during the proceedings.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Leading the new citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance is Waite High School student leader Candice Patterson.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Nick, 8, his sister Vanisa, 5, and their mom Sompasith Sinthalaphone, formerly of Laos, after the ceremony. They live in Lima.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Rami Albadour, 3, and his mom Suzan Dahmous, formerly of Jordan, after the ceremony.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Fatuma Ibrahim Barqadle, of Somalia, left, is helped down the steps by Annie Crawford, federal court clerk.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Judge Jack Zouhary congratulates Audrey Aleksandrovich Mikhaylov, formerly of Russia, on his citizenship. At right is Karen Berman, assistant principal at Waite High.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Audrey Aleksandrovich Mikhaylov, of Russia, left, is helped down the steps by his son-in-law Aleksey Syrnichenko.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image
Christian Vaflor, 15, of Marion, Ohio, was in attendance to watch his grandmother, Ednita Vaflor, become a citizen. She was from the Philippines.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
Buy This Image