BY NIKKI WALLER AND DARRAN SIMON

When Daphnee and Lizbeth Valderrama, ages 14 and 11, take the citizenship oath at Lummus Park today, they will become as American as hot dogs.

Colombian style.

Because even when the Valderrama girls become U.S. citizens in a special ceremony filled with pomp and fireworks on the shores of Miami Beach, they intend to hold on to their heritage, which includes smothering their favorite snack with salsa rosada -- a concoction of honey, mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, as well as potato chips and mozzarella cheese.

The Southwest Miami-Dade girls will be joined by three other adopted foreign-born children now living in South Florida who chose to recite their vows of allegiance on the Fourth of July in a celebration that will feature a concert with Julio Iglesias Jr. and a fireworks display.

It's one of many events around the country -- one will be held at the Alamo in Texas, and another aboard the USS Constitution in Boston -- in which 16,000 people will become the United States' newest citizens.

And what better day to become a citizen.

''To become part of the United States, it's a privilege,'' said Daphnee, who will enter the eighth grade at Westwood Christian School this fall. ``It's one thing living here being residents, but having our citizenship is more being part of this nation.''

Andrew Seda of Weston could have been sworn in at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Miami last month, but that would have been a bit inconsequential to top off such asignificant event in his life.

''I picture Sunday to be very exciting to see all my family there for me when I become a citizen, celebrating life, citizenship,'' said Andrew, also born in Colombia.

He was just a year old when Mercedes and Edgar Seda adopted him and brought him to the United States from Cucuta, Colombia. Now 18, his desire to become a citizen was piqued last year in an American History class at Weston's Cypress Bay High School.

''I wanted to participate in the government,'' he said. ``You can make a big change by voting.''

His parents adopted a second son, Daniel, four years after Andrew.

Daniel, who was born in Honduras, became a citizen in May at the immigration offices in Miami.

The Sedas said they wanted their sons to wait until they were old enough to understand and appreciate citizenship before pursuing it.

Said Mercedes Seda: ``I am very proud of my boys. I give them a hard time but, you know what, that's part of being a parent.''