Twenty students from nine different countries have become US citizens with the dedicated assistance of LCUP volunteer Sondra Kerr.
Sondra has lived in several countries around the world and has had a variety of careers?interior designer, flight attendant, child abuse? advocate, and consumer advocate?all involving public service and problem solving. When she began volunteering for LCUP she saw a need to be addressed and found her niche helping immigrants gain citizenship.
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The process of becoming an American citizen, beginning with the initial application to the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to the point of taking the Oath of Allegiance during the naturalization ceremony, takes from 2-5 months, says Sondra. Her assistance in helping to prepare immigrants to pass the English and civics test takes an average of six weeks.
Most of Sondra?s students are applying for American citizenship to improve their lives and those of their children. To apply, individuals must be at least 18 years old, have lived in the United States for five years and their community for at least three months, and have a green card.
Sondra guides students through the 21-page citizenship application and then helps prepare them for the English (speaking, writing, and reading) and civics tests.
Her greatest challenges, Sondra said, are helping students to understand civics questions, such as how the American executive, legislative, and judicial systems work, while simultaneously helping them overcome their fears, develop confidence, and appreciate the benefits they will enjoy as American citizens.
