MIAMI – A South Florida teacher from the Bahamas became a U.S. citizen on Friday and her students got the opportunity to witness the special moment.
Seventh-grade civics teacher Bernadette Davis has recited the Pledge of Allegiance hundreds of times, but this time was special because it is the first time she has said it as a U.S. citizen.
"My kids just kept bothering me. They just kept saying every day, even after we passed the civics unit, they're like, 'Ms. Davis, when are you going to become a citizen? You have to become a citizen,'" she said.
Davis is originally from the Bahamas and she has been a resident of the U.S. for 25 years. Her green card allowed her to work as a civics teacher at Apollo Middle School, where her students encouraged her to become a citizen.
"Me getting to witness what many of my family members have been through, it's pretty cool. And I'm happy for her too," Davis' student, Samuel Cage, said.
Davis was thrilled to learn that 40 of her students would be allowed to attend the emotional swearing in ceremony as a class field trip.
"It's amazing because she teaches us so much about it and now that we're actually being able to experience it, it's just an amazing opportunity," student Jasmine Lavin said.
Davis joined 133 other people from 26 countries as their dream to become U.S. citizens came true.