[applause] lieutenant governor peggy flanagan and minnesota's second gentleman tom weber. [applause] minnesota's first lady, gwen walz. [applause] honored guests and my fellow minnesotans, maybe it is the smell of that freshly sharpened pencil, maybe it is the site of those desks in neat rows, maybe it's the sound of nervous youthful chatter fill in the hallways, but whatever it is, if you are a teacher, nothing, and i mean nothing beats the first day of school. for many years of our lives, we celebrated new year's day not in january, but in early fall. when the doors opened back up and the kids came back from summer break. the first day of school is all about hope. it's all about opportunity and it's all about endless possibility. that has never been more true than here last fall, when the doors opened on this beautiful new building, a 317,000 square foot state-of-the-art symbol of this community's commitment to its children. [applause] imagine when you walk through the door the first time as a student, the whole world opens up in front of you. the classrooms here are gor