Get out the hankies, Betsteroids. Quicker than you can say, "My, how they've grown," last decade's little kindergarten ragamuffins have turned into responsible, mature adults ready to boldly embrace the future. OK, well, most of them. OK, well, not counting the little juvies who roar around in tricked out Subarus and get hopped up on energy drinks.

From Nanwalek to Ninilchik, this week the lower peninsula's best and brightest strut their stuff, flip their tassels, pose for the cameras and become high school graduates.

Ivy League colleges? Prepare to up your SAT average when the K-Bay gang checks in. Northwest mega-universities? Look out, here come the Homerites. Small little oovy-groovy liberal arts schools? Dude, you haven't seen a crunchball granola until you've seen the Homer variety. Taking some time off to experience foreign lands? Keep your head down and write Mom.

Herewith, some advice from your friendly local Betster. Brush your teeth. Take long walks in wild places. Read a poem a day. Carry a little journal and a pen, and when you meet someone new, write down her name. Or his name. You might be spending a lot of time with them, like forever. Wear colored underwear, so you never have to worry about mixing whites with darks. As Norman Vaughan said, "Dream big; dare to fail." And no matter where you go, you'll always have Homer, land of some of these way cool Best Bets:

BEST THE DIRT, THE NOISE, THE THRILLS! BET: Sure, you could roar up and down Bishop's Beach scaring the citizens and being a jerk, or you could go race legally, safely and for honor and glory at the motocross races starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Griner's gravel pit. Or, just watch and groove on out with your fellow motorheads.

BEST SIGN 'EM UP, WINDHAM HILL: Forget Jewel. She's like so 1990s. The next big thing to come out of Homer? Sources close to the Betster say it might be Damon McLay. Ya never know. If you want to say you knew him when, check out his concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church when he plays new age piano improvisation stuff and debuts his second CD.

BEST PAGING BINKY URBAN BET: You don't know Binky? She's like the hottest New York agent around. If she's looking for some new clients, she should check out the Kenai Peninsula Writers' Contest readings at 7 p.m. Friday night for the high school and adult writers and 2 p.m. Saturday for the younger literary artists. Both events are at the Homer Council on the Arts.