Among the wide range of classes offered to residents by the Cherry Hill library is a one-hour U.S. citizenship preparation class that takes place at 1 p.m. every Tuesday.
The aim of the six-week course is to prepare students for the naturalization test by helping them understand questions on the application, having them practice the reading and writing sections of the test and reviewing the language and conversation skills needed to succeed. The class also covers questions on subjects like civics and geography that may come up on the test.
The test is a major part of becoming a citizen. Applicants must show they have the ability to read, write and speak basic English for one part of it. In the other, they are asked 10 out of a list of 100 possible questions that could be on any topic, including the U.S. government, history and related topics. In order to pass, applicants must answer at least six questions correctly.
Everyone has two chances to pass the test for a fee of $710 to $760. If applicants fail on the first try, they can take the test again between 60 and 90 days from their initial interview.
The class has two instructors, Phyllis Levitas and Julie Kligerman.
“It’s difficult to pass, and many Americans themselves couldn’t pass,” Levitas said. “So instead of people going unprepared, the idea was to give them a leg up.”
The idea for the library’s citizenship prep class came when a student in the library’s ESL class expressed a need for help to prepare to the naturalization exam. Participants in the citizenship class are encouraged to participate and ask questions in order to engage more with the material.
“We want to be welcoming,” Kligerman noted. “One of the reasons I’m doing this is, I want to put a welcome face to people who have tried really hard to get here, tried really hard to stay here. They’re not lounging around.”
The library sees students from an array of backgrounds in its citizenship and other programs.
“Cherry Hill is a wonderfully diverse community,” Levitas pointed out. “My joke is, we’ve had people from every continent except from Antarctica, but I keep expecting a penguin to show up here at some point.”
“I mean, they know more history than many Americans by the time they leave here,” Kligerman emphasized. “I’m very proud of them, because many of my friends and colleagues wouldn’t be able to do it without the language barrier. They really study hard and try.
“It’s very important to many people to be citizens here, to do it right.”
