80 Tampa Bay Residents Celebrate Becoming U.S. Citizens

TAMPA, FL -- For these students, graduation means much more than accepting a diploma. It means accepting all the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship.

Hailing from China, Colombia, Cuba, Morocco, Venezuela and other countries around the world, 80 students at the Jefferson Adult and Community School completed their citizenship classes, passed the citizenship test and can now call themselves Americans.

The new citizens, joined by their families, teachers and adult school administrator, Pam Elles, walked across the stage at Jefferson High School to accept their certificates of completion.

On hand to congratulate them was Tampa City Councilman Charlie Miranda, an alumnus of Jefferson High School, who spoke in both English and Spanish to the students, encouraging them to be active in their communities, exercise their new rights including the right to vote and embrace their new country while continuing to honor their cultures.

Among the new citizens from this year's class are a mother and son, Sandy and Wilber Castano, who came to America from Cuba. Sandy Castano owns and manages a licensed home child-care business and Wilber Castano works with his father in his trucking business in Tampa. He hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, and earning his citizenship was the first step in that process.

For more information about the citizenship program at Jefferson Adult and Community School, call Elles at (813) 356-1291 or email her at pam.elles@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

Images via Jefferson Adult and Community School