What is CEO
The CEO Program is funded by local business investors strengthens your local community provides 2 high school credits utilizes area businesses as classrooms emphasizes 21st century Learning skills
CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) began in the Fall of 2008 in Effingham, Illinois.
The CEO program:
- Is funded by business investors
- Is open to high school juniors and seniors
- Selects students through a rigorous blind application process
- Serves students from public, private high schools and home school.
- Meets for 90 minutes each day
- Provides 2 high school credits
- Utilizes area businesses as host sites and never meets in a classroom.
- Visits 40+ area businesses each year
- Hosts 40+ guest speakers each year
- Emphasizes 21st century Learning skills
- Provides the opportunity for each student to start their own business
- Provides a mentor from the business community for each CEO student
- Hosts an annual trade show to showcase student businesses
What is CEO explained by Craig Lindvahl
Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities is a year-long course designed to utilize partnerships that provide an overview of business development and processes.
Our local business community partners with area schools to create project-based experiences for students by providing funding, expertise, meeting space, business tours, and one-on-one mentoring. Students visit area businesses, learn from guest speakers, participate in a class business, write business plans, and start and operate their own businesses. Business concepts learned through the experiential CEO class are critical; the 21st century skills of problem-solving, teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility, higher-order thinking, communication, and inquiry are at the heart of a student’s development throughout the course.
Student Testimonials
I think the biggest thing CEO has taught me is how to be a student of life--to be constantly changing and evolving in both knowledge and character. The program continues to instill in me an understanding about the reality of business and what it is to learn in the presence of failure.
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Kristen FrohningJasper CEO Class of 2015
From local business visits to planning the class business, I have learned so much from various advice and our own experiences; the good and bad. I went from being a regular high school kid to a future entrepreneur envisioning my own business. Without CEO it would not have been possible.
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Amber QuastJasper CEO Class of 2015
The CEO has completely changed my outlook on school and life. Applying for the class was one of the best choices I have ever made. The class teaches you so many life lessons that you can apply to every situation whether it be for personal or business.
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Preston StreetJasper CEO Class of 2015
It is a good feeling though because you start connecting all the dots from every experience we encountered to build one big thing. Its's amazing how that works.
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Devin WrightCEO Student
CEO is not just a typical routine class, it is a class that gives deep meaningful life lesson and completely changes you. It is the foundation of who you want be and what you want to accomplish.
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Delaney HealJasper CEO Class of 2015