in the upper gallery we have isaac lowell from fort river's career center. an apprenticeship in the army reservist in springfield. at a trucking apprenticeship from pleasant hill. with hard work, determination, and a skill of some kind anyway anyonecan achieve the american m and the individuals are proving it. please join me and recognizing these hard-working folks and others like them across the state. [applause] [applause] this group, represents just a sample of the more than 57000 new apprenticeships we have added since becoming governor. under our administration nearly apprenticeship activity in missouri has grown by one 100%. that is why this year we are including another 3 million-dollar investment to support even more apprenticeship opportunities. as you can see the target investments truly make a difference in the lives of missourians. and thanks to our past efforts i am proud to report that missouri is ranked second in the united states of america for apprenticeship and that is something we should all be proud of. [applause] [applause] like any chil