Milu Benko Finally Has a Voice
"I have lived in this country for a long time and [until now] I could not vote. I didn't have a voice," Milu Benko said. "As a high school teacher, I would always encourage my students to vote and register to vote. But I myself couldn't do that. One summer, I took my daughter to the Southeast Library and saw a flyer for classes for citizenship... I decided it was time."
Now, Milu has a voice and with FREE help preparing for the U.S. Naturalization Test and Interview, you can too! She's looking forward to voting in our next election and being a contributing member of this society by having that right. "I've paid taxes since I was a student but never had that right to vote... Now that I am a citizen, I can do that."
# Milu's Path to U.S. Citizenship
Milu came to the United States in 1994 to attend Hope College in Michigan. "I have worked [in the United States] with an H1B for many, many years," she said. She had even started the process of studying and preparing for the U.S. Naturalization Test and Interview a few times.
It wasn't until her husband got a job with the Jaguars and they started to put down roots here in Jacksonville that she decided that she needed to continue that process.
# The Naturalization Process
After completing the nine-week online course with the Library's Center for Adult Learning, she scheduled her test and interview and started reviewing everything she had learned. "I did my flash cards. I would practice with my daughter to make sure I knew my answers... Once that was done, I went to my interview in Orlando and was granted my citizenship that day."
For general information about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, please visit https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship.
# Thinking about signing up?
Here's what Milu has to say to anyone who's considering taking the class at the Library:
Thank you for sharing your story, Milu!
# Are You on the Path to U.S. Citizenship?
You, too, can get free help preparing for the U.S. Naturalization Test and Interview. Classes meet once a week for nine weeks. Instructors cover United States History and Civics, the naturalization process, and interview preparation.
# How to Sign Up
To express your interest in US Citizenship classes hosted by the Jacksonville Public Library, visit our Become a U.S. Citizen page and complete the Citizenship Course Wait List. Registration is open to residents of Duval County, 18 years of age and older.
Please note: All appointments and classes are offered online via Zoom. Class sizes are kept small. If this nine-week course reaches capacity, you will be added to the waitlist or contacted when the next course is announced. These courses are typically offered 3-4 times a year.
# Have Questions?
If you prefer, you can also call (904) 255-6135 to speak with our Center for Adult Learning staff.
Want to know more about the Center for Adult Learning? Read our Student Success Stories.
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