[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/david-major.jpg” caption=”David Major signs autographs for some Grade 9 Students after his keynote address.”]More than 100 Grade nine students visited McMaster on November 2 as part of the 11th annual Take Our Kids to Work program.

The students were welcomed by Mark Haley from Human Resources and then they enjoyed a variety of activities including a demonstration of rare insects by Marvin Gunderman (“the Bugman”) from the Department of Biology. Students also participated in a variety of tours hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Nuclear Reactor, the Department of Psychology and the Planetarium. These activities were followed by campus tours conducted by volunteers from the Office of Student Liaison.

The students returned to the Ivor Wynne Centre Mezzanine for lunch followed by remarks made from Dorrett James, from the Faculty of Health Sciences. The highlight of the afternoon was a keynote address by David Major from Motivate Yourself. Major has been speaking to youth for more than six years (he started in high school) and in that time he has addressed more than 25,000 young people in Canada, the United States and China. He had the students fully engaged with his message of inspiration that the young people can accomplish anything, if they motivate themselves. He ended his talk by quoting the entire text of the 1990 Dr. Seuss book Oh, the places you'll go!. Major reminded the students via Dr. Seuss “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)”