Olga and Maria proudly display their citizenship certificates.

Welcome New Citizens of the
United States of America

Fifty Reno-Sparks area residents were sworn in as new citizens on Friday, February 24th in a Naturalization Ceremony at the downtown Reno Federal Building. The new citizens immigrated from a total of seventeen different countries including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Columbia, , China, the Philippines, Australia, Iran, Russia, Peru, Canada, Costa Rica, Poland and England. The new citizens were joined by over a hundred relatives, friends and well-wishers.

Two of the new citizens sworn in were Olga Sanez and Maria Pareda. Both had attended the citizenship classes sponsored by the Northern Nevada Literacy Council and presented by Peter Tovar and Laura Clarke at the Sparks Christian Fellowship. Olga and Maria were both very grateful for the classes as they helped prepare them to meet the requirements of becoming United States citizens.

The new citizens were sworn in by the Honorable Larry R. Hicks, who is a District Court judge for the State of Nevada. Following the swearing-in, two of the new citizens spoke about their experience of becoming a U. S. citizen and how proud they were to become Americans.

Representatives from the offices of Senator Dean Heller, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Congressman Mark Amodei read letters from the elected officials to the new citizens.

Additionally, the Washoe County Registrar of Voters Heather Carmen also spoke and she urged the new citizens to participate to their fullest in the political process.

A new series of citizenship classes will begin on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at the Sparks Christian Fellowship. For more information, call (775) 356-1007.