By Erika Guedez, Community Integration Manager
The summer season brought exciting news and new opportunities for our students. We were delighted to see our Citizenship Program continue to grow and reach more people who wanted to take the important step toward becoming U.S. citizens.
As part of this growth, we opened a new class schedule on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., thanks to the valuable support of our volunteers, Donna Devine and Priscilla DiPasquale. We had four students enrolled in this morning class. Although it was a small group, it represented the beginning of a new stage that we hoped would continue to expand in the months ahead.
Additionally, due to increased participation, we launched a third level to our evening citizenship classes. This new structure allowed us to better meet our students' needs according to their level of preparation and to guide them more effectively on their path toward naturalization.
Many of our students showed great determination by beginning their preparation well in advance for their citizenship interviews. Their commitment was especially important considering the changes implemented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
As of October 20, 2025, USCIS implemented an updated version of the naturalization civics test for applicants who filed their applications on or after that date. The updated exam consisted of 128 questions, and applicants were required to answer at least 12 out of 20 questions correctly during the interview. The new test was designed to more thoroughly assess applicants' knowledge of U.S. history and government. These changes made consistent and organized preparation even more important.
For this reason, our program worked to provide each student with the tools they needed to build confidence, strengthen their civic knowledge, and improve their English language skills.
At the time, our volunteer Dean Williams assisted with the new advanced class. We continued to have students preparing with the traditional 100 civics questions because they had filed their applications before the implementation of the new test. Some of them had been waiting for a response from USCIS for several months. While they waited for notification of their interviews, they continued studying and reinforcing their knowledge so they would be ready when the time came.
We also had a very special reason to celebrate.
We were thrilled to announce the first student of the 2026 Citizenship classes to become a U.S. citizen. Parlad Biswa had begun preparing with us the previous year, and after months of study and dedication, he took his citizenship test in February and passed successfully.
His achievement was a beautiful reminder that perseverance, hard work, and preparation bear fruit. We were very proud of Parlad and grateful to have been part of his journey toward this important milestone in his life.
Every student who walks through our doors brings with them a story, a dream, and the desire to build a better future for themselves and their families. Embarking on the path to citizenship requires effort, perseverance, and courage, and it is an honor for us to accompany them throughout this process.
As summer draws to a close, we remain grateful to our volunteers, our students, and everyone who made this ministry possible. We look forward to seeing more lives transformed, more successful interviews, and more people achieving their goal of becoming United States citizens. We continue to move forward, grow together, and celebrate every step toward success.
Upcoming registration
Evening classes: September 8 at 6:00 p.m.
Morning classes: September 9 at 9:15 a.m.