Students, staff celebrate cafeteria manager who passed US citizenship test

EDMOND, Oklahoma -- Students and staff at the Deer Creek Prairie Vale Elementary School in Edmond, Oklahoma, celebrated their cafeteria manager Ms. Yanet Lopez.

This week, she passed her test to become a U.S. citizen. Chanting "USA, USA," the children lined up the hallway to celebrate Lopez's accomplishment.

"Every morning, Ms. Yanet walks into the office and proclaims 'Good Morning, Pretty Ladies' and with a smile and a laugh, she always starts the day with a positive message! I am so excited for Ms. Yanet and the realization of one of her dreams in passing her citizenship test! We laughed that she would know more than those of us born in the U.S. I am honored to work with one best U.S. citizens I know," the school posted on Facebook.

An immigrant from Cuba, Lopez moved to Oklahoma from Houston, Texas, a few years ago with her family for better job opportunities.

"When I was a child, I have a dream like, say, Martin Luther King, right? My dream was (to) come here to this great country," Lopez told KOCO.

Lopez wasn't the only one to pass the test.

Her whole family, including her husband and three children, ages 17 to 28, all passed too.

Lopez encourages everyone to go after their dream, no matter how hard it may be.

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