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For many, becoming a citizen is the ultimate affirmation of the American Dream.

On Monday, 100 Southwest Florida residents lived the dream as they swore their allegiance to the United States at Edison College — the first such ceremony in Collier in more than 25 years.

The ceremony was especially poignant for Pfc. Gabriela Esmeralda Zamora Garcia, 22, a native of Guatemala, who is serving with the U.S. Army Reserves.

“It truly does mean more,” said Zamora Garcia, whose husband, U.S. Army Sgt. Oscar Nieves, 27, was deployed Saturday. “It’s so exciting. It really is.”

It took Zamora Garcia eight years to become a citizen and at times, the reservist said, she questioned if she would actually get to take the oath of allegiance.

“It was really long,” Zamora Garcia said. “I sometimes doubted it was actually going to happen. But it all worked out.”

Federal Immigration Services officials hosted Monday’s naturalization ceremony in Naples, instead of Miami Beach, at the request of U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, who was the keynote speaker at the event.

“This is a very strong reminder of the greatness of our country. It is a country that was built by immigrants,” said Diaz-Balart, after the ceremony, adding that many people who come to the U.S. seek freedom, work hard and play by the rules. “These hundred individuals here today are as American as any American in the history of our country, regardless of where they’ve come from.”

In addition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration officials, Collier County Commission Chairman Tom Henning, Commissioners Jim Coletta and Frank Halas, and representatives from GOP state Rep. Matt Hudson and state Rep. David Rivera’s offices also attended.

Linda Swacina, the district director for the Miami and Caribbean District of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said Monday’s ceremony was low key compared to some of the naturalization ceremonies held in Miami — the most recent of which had 15,000 people becoming citizens at the same time.

“We like to do some of these small ones,” said Swacina, adding that the smaller size also makes the event more personal. “It’s much more memorable.”

According to Swacina, the Miami and Caribbean District alone will naturalize about 86,000 people from around the world this year. Monday’s ceremony alone boasted the representation of 16 countries, including Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Peru and Russia.

And the process has become smoother.

“There are a lot more security checks than there used to be,” said Swacina, adding that the department had a huge surge in naturalization applications last summer, in anticipation of a fee increase and because of those who wanted to become citizens to vote in the 2008 election. “It’s getting better.”

Regardless of the group size, Swacina said, seeing the newly sworn citizens’ faces filled with joy never gets old.

“This is truly my favorite part of the job,” she said. “Everybody is happy on this day and everybody has a story. It’s just fascinating.”

One of those stories was Diana Werner’s.

Little American flags waved with fervor and ‘God Bless the USA’ played over the sound system, while tears flowed from Werner’s face.

For Werner, 33, Monday’s ceremony was the end of a long road that took her from Barranquilla, in her native Colombia, to Naples. Her husband, Ken Werner, 43, and her three daughters, Daniella, 11, Allyson, 8, and Breanna, 5, all attended the ceremony.

“It was a blessing,” Diana Werner said, adding that not having to drive to Miami for the oath was an unexpected bonus. “I’m glad because I was able to become a citizen in the city that is my home.”

Werner’s mother-in-law, Lois Werner, 58, drove down from Georgia with her husband Ken, 66, for the ceremony.

“It was something that should just not be missed. (Diana) has wanted this for a long, long time, almost 10 years,” Lois Werner said after the ceremony. “To see it finally happen today was something we were so excited about. We were absolutely not going to lose the opportunity to be here, watch it and be one of the first to congratulate her.”