Jean Claude Coullerez knew who the first person he wanted to see his newly signed naturalization certificate would be Thursday afternoon.

In a brief private moment between handshakes and hugs inside the federal courthouse in Shreveport, La., Coullerez opened the small American passport of his late wife Evelyn and faced it and a small Xerox copy of her driver’s license toward the piece of paper that proved he was now one of America’s newest citizens.

&uot;I wanted her to see it,&uot; Coullerez whispered as tears welled up in his eyes.

With that, he folded up the passport, looked up and pumped his fist in celebration. After many years of considering and pursuing his American citizenship, the moment had finally arrived and nothing could keep a smile off the face of the Trinity Episcopal Day School and Cathedral School French teacher.

And what made it one of the best celebrations for Coullerez was the group of his students and fellow teachers from the two schools who traveled Thursday to be with him.

&uot;Without the students I would have been alone,&uot; Coullerez said, &uot;The celebration for me today was with this group of people.&uot;

For Coullerez the long road to American citizenship began after he married his second wife Evelyn in 1994.

She was from Louisiana. He was a Frenchman and a Canadian living in Monterey.

The two met at a party in one of Natchez’s hotel ballrooms. She could speak little French. But after three dances, Coullerez knew there was something special.

&uot;It was December 6, Pearl Harbor Day,&uot; Coullerez remarked with a smile. &uot;It was my Pearl Harbor day.&uot;

Soon thereafter, the two married and lived on Cross Bayou in the small Concordia Parish community.

For years, Coullerez thought about becoming an American, but at the time it didn’t seem particularly important to him.

Then one day in 1998 he announced to his wife that he finally decided to pursue his U.S. citizenship.

Recalling the moment, Coullerez remarked that Evelyn was overjoyed.

&uot;She said, ‘At last you are really going to have something in common with me,’&uot; Coullerez said.

The two then set out to acquire the necessary paperwork to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

But in 1998, Evelyn became ill and then died the following spring. Along with her death came a long pause in Coullerez’s pursuit of citizenship.

&uot;I put it aside,&uot; he said.

As the years from his wife’s death passed, Coullerez continued teaching French to high school students, first at Cathedral and then at Trinity as well.

Slowly Coullerez began to reconsider his desire to become an American.

But it was the events of Sept. 11, 2001, that convinced him of the necessity of leaving his visa and green card behind forever.

&uot;After 2001, I thought it could be difficult coming back to America if I lost my green card,&uot; Coullerez said, &uot; Plus this is my home now.&uot;

As bleary-eyed students waited in front of Trinity School Thursday morning, Coullerez drove up in his red pick-up truck with an American flag proudly displayed in the rear-view window. As he stepped out of the truck, Coullerez greeted the students with a hearty, &uot;bonjour.&uot;

This was the beginning of the final leg of the French teacher’s long trip toward citizenship.

Three and a half hours later, Coullerez and the students piled out of their vehicles onto the federal courthouse plaza. Like a child waiting for Santa Claus to come, the anticipation of the next few hours was almost unbearable.

&uot;It is very emotional,&uot; Coullerez said.

&uot;Most of you do not think about being an American,&uot; Coullerez said pointing to the students. &uot;For me it is a choice.&uot;

For the following two hours, Coullerez sat in the fourth floor courtroom with 45 people from 23 countries and six continents &045; all of them making that choice to become a citizen of the United States.

As the minutes ticked by each candidate was verified to make sure everything was in order before the judge issued the Oath of Allegiance.

With every aspect of candidates’ lives checked and re-checked, U.S. Judge Mark Hornsby asked the candidates to stand and repeat the oath after him.

One hundred and forty words and several minutes later, 46 people from all over the world became one and the same &045; U.S. citizens.

&uot;This is truly a joyful occasion,&uot; Hornsby said from the bench. &uot;America woke up a strong country this morning. But it is now 46 new citizens stronger.&uot;

After all the hugs, handshakes and posed photographs beside the American flag, Coullerez and his students returned to their cars to escort the Miss-Lou’s newest citizen back home.

&uot;It is humbling to see all these people who want to be what is our birthright,&uot; Delecia Carey, headmaster of Trinity School, said after the ceremony Thursday.

The trip back was filled with conversations about the importance of being an American. Coullerez and the students talked about all the things that American can enjoy that are restricted from other people in other countries across the globe. Subjects ranged from freedom of speech to freedom of religion.

&uot;I think it all comes down to freedom,&uot; Trinity student Alex Felter said.

&uot;I never knew that becoming an American is such a big deal,&uot; his classmate Caroline Lowe said.

When the vehicles finally returned to Trinity School Thursday evening, after the final congratulatory hugs were completed, each student went in his own direction.

Coullerez walked to his truck, put away his things and drove back to his house on Cross Bayou.

When asked what his plans were to celebrate Thursday evening, Coullerez said, &uot;I have to go home to raise the flag. I want to see the American flag waving with the French and Quebec flag when I wake up in the morning.&uot;