Media
Foreign-born students study their way to citizenship
Merrillville - Gabriela Wesolowski gently hit the side of her head as she attempted in halting English to pronounce the words "executive," "legislative" and "judicial."
She knew without hesitation the country's three branches of government but the precise pronunciation is something she said she still needs to practice.
"It doesn't come to my brain," sid the Polish-born 43-year-old Dyer woman.
Wesolowski, was one of eight local people Saturday attending a citizenship orientation class at the Lake County Central Library on U.S. 30 in Merrillville.
They are hoping to do what 47 people did the day before at a swearing-in ceremony at Hobart High School — become U.S. citizens.
Wesowloski, a small woman with short-cropped brown hair and large, expressive blue eyes, said that on Feb. 13 she will be celebrating her 12th anniversay living in this country. And although she is working and raising her family here, she doesn't have all the rights of an American.
"I want to become a citizen so I can vote," Wesowloski said, her 11-year-old son, Jess, at her side.
She said she has pored over the information that she will need to pass her citizenship testing but believes she needs help.
"I try and learn myself and it doesn't work," she said.
Class instructor Larry Sharp, an executive director of the International Institute, said his classes can help people such as Wesolowski pass their citizenship test without any problems.
He offers subtle tips to help them pass the initial screening questions, such as how the weather is or how they are doing, which is the tester's way of finding out if the individual understands English.
"Just answer the questions; don't volunteer information," Sharp said.
He helps the students prepare by having them read and then answer 96 sample questions, 10 of which may be asked of them during the exam.
During the 90-minute session, Sharp also fires questions at the participants on subjects such as the names of their congressmen, governor and senators, and why the American flag has 13 stripes and 50 stars. He also dictates to them sentences in English that they practice writing, something that will be expected of them at the citizenship exam.
Library spokeswoman Sharon Ball said the citizenship orientation classes have been offered by the library, with the partnership of the International Institute, for the past three years as part of the literacy program.
She said the classes are offered periodically at other branch libraries, including New Chicago, Dyer/Schererville and East Chicago.
For more information about the citizenship orientation classes at the Lake County Central Library, call (219) 769-3541, ext. 309.
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Larry Sharp and his wife, Carroll, teach civics to foreigners at the Lake County Central Library.
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