Betsy Ross House welcomes 13 children as new citizens

Melissa Menkeng had picked out her special dress - white and frilly, with black trim - for the ceremony, which was held Sunday in the muggy shade of the Betsy Ross House courtyard. Sitting in the front row, the sixth grader nervously twirled a small American flag while she waited, one of 13 children from different countries who would become U.S. citizens.

The half-hour ceremony was part of "Let Freedom Ring" events to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and was sponsored by the American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial and by the Flag House Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

It began with a prayer. Then an introduction.

At the front of the stage, a small teddy bear and a doll sat under red-white-and-blue bunting.

"Today, you 13 become American citizens," Lisa Acker Moulder, executive director of the Betsy Ross House, told the children, ages 4 to 11. "And this will become your flag."

The girls wore pretty dresses. The boys wore something red, white, and blue, or dark suits and ties.

They had come to the United States, many as babies, with their parents from places such as India, Hong Kong, Morocco, and Peru.

Melissa Menkeng, showing true cultural diversity as the Italian-born daughter of Cameroonian parents, said the ceremony symbolized "that I'm an American, and I'm responsible."

She lives in Upper Darby, and said she planned to become a pediatrician when she grew up.

After a litany of remarks, the youngsters stood, their families behind them, and raised their right hands as a section chief from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services read aloud the Oath of Allegiance. They declared their loyalty to the United States with a collective "I do."

"We want you to do the best you can," Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen T. Johnson then told the new citizens. Although the country holds many challenges, "you can go as far as your character can take you."

The children later recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the national anthem. A few knew the words.

Then, one by one, they went to the stage to ring a model of the Liberty Bell. Thirteen rings for the 13 colonies. Each was handed a certificate of citizenship.

As 11-year-old Aytekin Oldac went up, his father jumped to the front with his camera. Aytekin's mother, Elcin, stood up and smiled.

"I'm honored, and I'm excited," she said. Her husband, Aydin, had brought the family to the United States from Turkey to be closer to his brother and attend college when Aytekin was 13 months old.

"We want him to have a better future, to have a better education," she said, standing with Aytekin's younger brother and baby sister. "That's why we're staying here."

The ceremony ended with a stirring rendition of "God Bless America."

As youngsters and their families milled about, Melissa flashed her certificate to her family.

"This is a free country," said her aunt Rose. "And now we are free."

Contact staff writer Kia Gregory at 215-854-2601 or kgregory@phillynews.com.