BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Wednesday marked the third straight year that Prospect Ridge Academy, in partnership with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department, has proudly served as a host site for a naturalization ceremony.
The ceremony, by definition, is a formal event where new U.S. citizens take the Oath of Allegiance and receive their naturalization certificate, signifying their official status as American citizens. It is also a hands-on learning experience for PRA third grade students, whose participation helps bring to life the CORE Knowledge unit on citizenship that they studied during the school year.
A total of 16 new United States citizens, from across 13 different countries of origin, were celebrated at this year’s ceremony. But for one PRA family in particular; Wednesday’s ceremony will be cherished as more than just an educational experience.
A native of Frankfurt, Germany, Guido Haus has been a member of the PRA community since 2022, when he and his wife, Anna, enrolled their first child, Emilia, into kindergarten. The couple first met in 2010 while studying abroad in London and are the proud parents of two Miners in Emilia, now a third grader, and their son Wallace, a Class of 2038 kindergartener in 2025-26.
As their love story blossomed into marriage, Haus took his initial step on his U.S. citizenship journey in 2013 when he applied for his first green card; a process that took nearly two years before he was ultimately able to move to the United States in November of 2014.
“In my mind, the path and process for becoming a U.S. citizen really started with my initial green card application in 2013,” Haus said. “Then this past July – U.S. Independence Day (July 4, 2025) to be exact – I applied for my U.S. citizenship.”
The 10 months that have followed from that day have included interview processes, English reading and writing tests, and follow-up interviews. All that work culminated in Wednesday’s final step; the naturalization ceremony, where Haus was able to take his Oath of Allegiance, submit his green card, and receive his Certificate of Naturalization with his family and fellow PRA Miners in attendance.
“It was highly emotional, obviously, being able to do the ceremony here at Prospect Ridge where my children go to school,” Haus said. “Seeing my daughter sing with the third grade students and get to read her part of the speech out loud; it really reflects the whole process that started 10 plus years ago and concluded today.”
This year, when July 4 rolls back around, Haus will now join his new countrymen in the celebration of America’s 250-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
But before partaking in barbeques and fireworks, Haus says he knows the first thing he is going to do as an American citizen.
“My family and I are going to celebrate today and I’m going to register to vote,” Haus said. “I think that’s probably the first act of business.”
