COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — There are 17 new United States citizens in the Columbus area Tuesday morning.
The men and women coming from 13 different countries took the citizenship oath at the federal courthouse in downtown Columbus.
The annual naturalization ceremony, witnessed by family and friends, was presided over by Magistrate Judge Amelia Helmick.
Serena Scibelli is a university music educator who lives in Columbus and came to America from Italy. She was a part of the ceremony on Tuesday.
"It means that I'm finally 100% part of my community because I like to be involved in my community in Columbus. But I felt that something was missing. So, through citizenship, I can feel really part of the community where I live and what I want to grow my son," Scibelli said.
Scibelli teaches violin at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She told WRBL News 3 that she will retain her dual citizenship in Italy.
Muscogee County State Court Judge Pete Temesgen spoke to the new citizens as he, too, once sat where they sat on Tuesday. He became a U.S. citizen in 2004.
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