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Children Go Through Citizenship Ceremony

There was more to today than the inauguration of President Barack Obama for some San Diego families. One hundred and one children took part in a citizenship ceremony at the New Americans Museum. KPBS

Children Go Through Citizenship Ceremony

There was more to today than the inauguration of President Barack Obama for some San Diego families. One hundred and one children took part in a citizenship ceremony at the New Americans Museum . KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details.

There were children as young as 11 months and old as 17 at the event. Officials with the Museum say they didn’t originally intend to hold the ceremony on inauguration day but things worked out that way. 16 year old Zainab Najeed says she liked sharing the date with the new President.

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Najeed: I’m like Obama all the way. So, it feels cool to be, like, both of us, being inaugurated kind of on the same day. So, it feels kind of cool.    

Najeed is originally from Afghanistan. She joined children from 23 other countries including Kenya, Russia and India. Technically the kids already became citizens when their parents were naturalized or when they were adopted into a US family. But officials say families like having a ceremony to mark the occasion.

Katie Orr, KPBS News