 Hello, young readers. This is Mayor Steve Benjamin and today we're going to read Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. Congratulations. Today is your day. You're off to great places. You're off and away. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own and you know what you know. And you are the guy who decides where to go or girl. You'll look up and down streets, look them over with care. About some of you will say, I don't choose to go there. With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street. And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town. It's opener there in the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do. The people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don't worry, don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too. The places you'll go. You'll be on your way up. You'll be seeing great sights. You'll join the high flyers who soar to high heights. You won't lag behind because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best. Wherever you go, you'll top all the rest. Except when you don't. Because sometimes you won't. I'm sorry to say, but sadly it's true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a lurch. You'll come down from the lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are then that you'll be in a slump. And when you're in a slump, you're not in for much fun. Unslumping yourself is not easily done. You'll come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted, but mostly they're dark. A place you could spring both your elbow and chin. Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win? And if you go in, should you turn left or right, or right in three-quarters, or maybe not quite, or go around back and sneak in from behind, simple it's not. I'm afraid you will find. For a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind, you can get so confused that you're starting to race down long wiggle roads at a break-necking pace. And grind on for miles across weirdest wild space headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. The waiting place. For people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go, or a bus to come, or a plane to go, or the mail to come, or the rain to go, or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow, or waiting around for a yes or no, or waiting for their hair to grow, everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite, or waiting for wind to fly kite, or waiting around for Friday night, or waiting perhaps for the Uncle Jake, or a pot to boil, or a better break, or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants, or a wig with curls, or another chance, everyone is just waiting. No, that's not for you. Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying. You'll find the bright places where boom bands are playing, with banner flip flapping once more you'll ride high, ready for anything under the sky, ready because you're that kind of guy or girl. Oh, the places you'll go. There's fun to be done, there are points to be scored, there are games to be won, and the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winningest winner of all. Fame, you'll be famous as famous can be with the whole wide world watching you win on TV, except when they don't, because sometimes they won't. No, I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too, games you can't win, because you're playing against you. Whether you like it or not, alone will be something you'll be quite a lot. And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some down the road between hithering you that can scare you so much you won't want to go on, but on you will go. Though the weather be foul, on you will go. Though your enemies prowl, on you will go. Through the hack and cracks howl, onward up many a frightening creak, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you'll hike, and I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems, whatever they are. You'll get mixed up of course, as you already know, you'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step up, step with care and great tact, and remember that life's a great balancing act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft, and never mix up your right foot with your left. And you will succeed, yes you will indeed. 98 and 3 fourths percent guaranteed. Kid, you'll move mountains. So be your name Bucksbaum, or Bixby, or Bray. Or Mordecai, Ollie Van Allen O'Shea. You're off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.