By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Rep. Rob Portman and Binal Patel, 20, read to new citizens Wednesday at Paramount's Kings Island. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

MASON - At Paramount's Kings Island, where children usually come for a day of lighthearted fun, some youngsters showed up Wednesday for a serious purpose.

On the stage of Paramount Theatre, 10 children and three adults from seven countries became American citizens.

Most of the children had been adopted by Americans and already were legally U.S. citizens. But their parents wanted them to participate in the ceremony, conducted by U.S. District Judge Walter Rice and receive certificates of citizenship.

As the group took the oath of allegiance, Mary Jane Leech of Kettering, Ohio, held up the tiny left hand of 22-month-old Emma Grace Xing Leech, whom she adopted from China, and recited the oath for her.

"Although she was already an American citizen legally," Leech said, "I felt like we needed a ceremony to make it official and to be with other new citizens."

This is the second year Paramount's Kings Island has worked with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to host the event.

Four siblings in the Patel family from India received certificates of citizenship at Wednesday's ceremony. The siblings, ages 16 to 25, came to the United States six years ago with their parents. The family lives in Anderson Township.

U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park, called the children to the stage and read a children's book showing how proposed legislation becomes a law.

"We get our strength from diversity," he told them. "We're all immigrants except for Native Americans."

Rice said citizenship is the greatest honor America can give.

"This is a ceremony that will have significance to you as long as you live," he said.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com