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The Community Education Department of Chisago Lakes School District 2144 and tutor Marlys Breeden, in particular are celebrating the success of a student who recently achieved naturalized U.S. citizenship.  

Extend congratulations to Chai Yin Lim if you happen to be making a stop at China Panda Restaurant in  Lindstrom. She’s the one who organizes takeout and keeps order at the busy front counter.  

Chai Yin came to the United States from Malaysia in 2009.  Her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter had come to Minnesota earlier.  Chai Yin stayed in this area even after her daughter moved to Columbia Heights.

She’s a member at Lakes Free Church and enjoys making jewelry as a hobby. Her name means rainbow.

Chai Yin started in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) division of the St Croix River Education District programming, taking Community Ed classes to improve her English skills.

Soon she was working with Pam Horwich on the citizenship exam. In 2015, Horwich moved, and Breeden became instructor/tutor.

Chai Yin passed the test to become a naturalized citizen in September 2015 and was one of 500 new citizens from 30-plus nations, participating in the swearing-in ceremonies late last fall. Her chosen American name is Margaret.    

ABE instructor and program coordinator Julie Hawkinson commented that the volunteer instructors get as much or more than the pupils through their involvement in bettering adults’ lives.  Said Hawkinson;  “It’s had an amazing impact on students and tutors over the years...students are empowered to meet lifelong goals while tutors not only broaden their understanding of other cultures but they also experience the gratification of helping another person achieve something significant.”

Hawkinson added, “Becoming a naturalized citizen requires a diligent persistent effort and people like Chai Yin should be congratulated for their hard work.”

The exam which is part of the process to become a naturalized US citizen is 100 questions, and the student-citizen shows a grasp of the facts and government process to get a passing score.

Worth mentioning is that the Minnesota Legislature is considering a bill introduced in the last session, that would mandate that public school students pass the same test Chai Yin mastered, in order to graduate.   House File 1497 was introduced by state Rep. Dean Urdahl and state Senator Chuck Wiger has a similar bill in the senate.  

Test your knowledge by answering the following examples of 100 questions on the immigration exam:
~ What are the first three words in the U.S. Constitution?
~ How many amendments does the Constitution have?
~ What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?
~ Name a freedom protected in the First Amendment.
~ Name one branch of the federal government. The two parts of U.S. Congress.
~ There were 13 original states, name three.
~ Why did colonists fight the British?
~ What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
~ Name one war fought in the 1800s.
~ Who was President during WWI?  During World War II?
~ Name one American Indian tribe in the U.S.
~ Name one U.S. Territory

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