Immigrants often experience a sense of joy and triumph when they successfully obtain U.S. citizenship, especially considering the challenges faced by many immigrants of color during the naturalization process. A heartwarming video, which has gained significant attention on Reddit’s popular subreddit r/MadeMeSmile, has captured this sentiment.
Within just one day, the video titled “Students and staff at an Oklahoma elementary school lined the hallways to cheer for their school cafeteria manager who passed her test to become a U.S. citizen” received approximately 50,000 upvotes.
The video features the school cafeteria manager proudly holding a small U.S. flag, her eyes welling up with tears as students cheer her on in celebration of this remarkable achievement.
Deer Creek Prairie Vale Elementary School in Edmond, Oklahoma, witnessed a heartwarming scene as students lined up the hallways, cheering “USA! USA!” in celebration of Yanet Vilamontes López’s achievement.
The video, shared on the school’s Facebook page, captured the moment when the Cuban-born cafeteria manager passed her test to become a US citizen. The caption read, “A HUGE SHOUTOUT to Ms. Yanet, our sweet cafeteria manager, who passed her test to become a US citizen!!! HOORAY!!!”
Michelle Anderson, the school principal, captured the video and shared with Newsweek that Lopez, a dedicated staff member for three years, had no idea that she was about to be honored by the entire school for her accomplishments.
Anderson explained, “I sent the school nurse to find Miss Yanet and told her, ‘Hey, go get Miss Yanet, and I’m going to gather everyone in the hall.’ So the nurse went to Yanet and said, ‘Hey, Michelle needs you.’
Yanet immediately thought she was in trouble, but the nurse reassured her, ‘No, you’re not in trouble. I need you to come with me.’ By the time they reached the hallway, all the students were already there, applauding.”
The students’ overwhelming show of support left the cafeteria manager feeling deeply moved. In an interview with KOCO, she shared, “All the students give me hugs. It was so exciting. I was crying like a baby, and the teachers were crying too.”
López, accompanied by her husband and three children, successfully passed the exam in April 2021. Reflecting on her journey, she expressed, “When I was a child, I had a dream, just like Martin Luther King, right? My dream was to come to this great country.”
López further shared her admiration for the United States, stating, “I know everything about the United States, presidents. Everything is amazing. I have learned a lot of history. I love this country.”
Lopez found herself pleasantly surprised by the unexpected celebration. However, Principal Anderson revealed that Lopez had also managed to keep her upcoming citizenship test a secret. Principal Anderson described the celebration as the most adorable thing she had ever witnessed.
“Lopez discovered on Monday that she had passed the test, and we were all absolutely thrilled,” Anderson shared. “At our school, we take pride in celebrating the achievements of our students, staff, and the school as a whole.”
According to Anderson, Prairie Vale Elementary loves Lopez and the school is dedicated to supporting its community. Anderson expressed her admiration, saying, “She’s a wonderful addition to our staff. I was moved to tears. I’m so proud of her. She’s like family to us.”
Anderson’s post on the school’s Facebook page highlighted Lopez’s positive attitude and morning greetings, stating, “Every morning, Ms. Yanet enters the office and cheerfully says, ‘Good Morning, Pretty Ladies,’ starting the day with a positive message!”
Anderson also shared her excitement for Lopez passing her citizenship test, joking that Lopez might know more about the US than those born there. Anderson concluded, “I feel privileged to work with one of the best US citizens I know!”
