Fifty-two applicants' dreams became a reality this morning as they were sworn in and are officially American citizens.

Two naturalization ceremonies were celebrated in district court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood's courtroom in honor of Women's History Month.

The new citizens during the first ceremony were welcomed with a speech from keynote speaker, Vice Speaker of the 36th Guam Legislature Tina Muna Barnes.

Chief Judge introduced Sen. Barnes as one of the first female speakers of the Guam legislature, in which she fulfilled the position in her previous term for the 35th legislative body.

"I really want to impart on you all one last lesson that my parents Bill and Ann Muna instilled in each and every one of my siblings being an American," she said. "They said being an American may be special in of itself but being an American from Guam that even more special I say this because one thing that sets all of us apart is our spirit of inafa'maolek and in the literal term in Chamorro, inafa means make and maolek means good but inafa'maolek is more than just making good, it's about taking care of each other."

The second ceremony held at 11:30 a.m. this morning included a speech from keynote speaker Guam Youth Congress Speaker Stephanie Lorenzo. Lorenzo is a student at the University of Guam and aspires to work in Child Protective Services.