District 518 column: Adult Basic Education offers free citizenship classes

Adult Basic Education Offers Free Citizenship Classes

WORTHINGTON — Did you know Adult Basic Education, which is part of Community Ed., offers free citizenship classes for those interested in becoming American citizens? We do!

Government Requirements for Citizenship

1. Accurate completion of the N400 application (a 24-page document with an 18-page instruction manual)
2. The ability to engage in small talk and to answer appropriately the USCIS officer’s questions throughout the interview
3. The ability to read and write sentences
4. The ability to answer civics questions from a pool of 100, all in English

That is a big task.

ABE’s Goal and Partnership

ABE’s goal is to walk with students through this process so that they are confident and prepared on the day of their interview. ABE partners with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota to provide students with access to free legal assistance and advice.

Curriculum and Emphasis on SDGs

In class, we work on interviewing skills as well as speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Because the emphasis of citizenship curriculum is on passing the citizenship interview, a large part of the class is devoted to the 100 civics questions. However, we believe it is important to provide students with an understanding of American history and government, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and an appreciation of the country’s culture and values.

Creating a Safe and Supportive Community

We want students to be able to do more than recite an answer. We want them to understand what happened and why it matters. We want students to understand how democracy works, and the important role citizens play in it. This knowledge will not only help applicants be better interviewees, but it will make them better citizens.

Even more than the educational component, we strive to provide a safe and supportive community for students to learn, ask questions, and grow in as they move toward citizenship. One student’s success is seen as everyone’s success while one student’s struggles become an opportunity for all to learn.

Individualized Support and Celebrations

When a student has an interview date, the student receives one-on-one help from a volunteer who focuses on specific weaknesses the student may have. When a student “passes” (we have a 100% pass rate) there is a celebration, complete with food, family, and new friends for the soon-to-be citizen.

Enrollment Information

If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a citizen, please let them know about our program. We would love to help with the journey toward citizenship. We understand that people come to the process with different experiences, needs, educational backgrounds and skill levels, as well as work and life situations.

For all of these reasons, we offer classes from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday and Friday mornings and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Our classes are ongoing throughout the calendar year, with no beginning or ending point.

Students may participate for as long or as short an amount of time as they need. To enroll, call the Community Education Office at (507) 376-6105 or stop by the school, 827 N. Crailsheim Road, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.