High school students in CEO programs across the country have spent the last year learning to become entrepreneurs, visiting local businesses, and then launching their own.
There are 44 such programs in Illinois, including Knox County and McDonough County.
“This is not for the future entrepreneurs but the future workforce,” said Austin Brooks, executive director of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship in Effingham, a non-profit that supports CEO programs. “For all those local business owners that invest in this local program, it’s really a down payment on countering the brain drain in a rural community.”
Brooks said the programs also help businesses.
“It’s getting amazing young minds that have that entrepreneurial mindset that could even solve problems in and for their companies,” he said.
The CEO trade show in Galesburg
The Knox County CEO Trade Show was at Reserve Artisan Ales in Galesburg.
Seven students from several high schools participated, including Sullivan Powers of Williamsfield High School.
His creation is a dog harness that eliminates pulling.
“With this design that I invented, it completely stops the dog in its tracks every time it tries to put any kind of force on the leash,” Powers said.
It’s called the Cliff Harness.
Powers says it’s safe, humane, and dogs learn from it.
“Since the mechanism stops the dog as soon as it starts pulling, it basically puts a cliff right in front of the dog. And after a few times of it tugging and pulling on the dog, the dog will realize that every time it tries to pull, it won’t work,” he said.
Galesburg High School student Olivia Owen launched O² Gourmet Cookies.
The rich flavors of her cake batter, Oreo, chocolate chip, and lemon blackberry cookies are artistically represented with color and decorations.
“I bounced around on a few ideas but I originally knew that I loved to bake so I went with that,” Owen said.
She said she enjoyed meeting and talking to business owners around town as part of the program -- and that’s had an impact on her future goals.
“I do see myself going into business. Not as much baking, but I definitely want to be in the business world someday,” Owen said.
Plamedi Nseka was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He speaks three languages and goes to Galesburg High School.
His business is a virtual reality escape room.
“So I’ve taken the virtual world and brought it to life, for people to experience this new thing that’s brand new,” he said.
Nseka plans to study international business in college. He said his virtual reality project was something he could leave behind for the community.
And he said the CEO program not only taught him business lessons – but also life lessons.
“Being prepared and being all in in something. Because I had to be all in in this if I really wanted to be successful,” Nseka said.
Among other students, Haven Powell of Galesburg Christian School launched Cryptocolors, a digital art business; Payton Parish of Galesburg High School started an auto emblem enterprise; and Kaidence Wilson of Galesburg High School started a candle business that reduces landfill waste by reusing dishes and containers.
One Knox County CEO student’s business got some national recognition.
Kate Potter of Galesburg Christian School is the founder of First Love Candles.
She makes wooden-wick candles and wax melts inspired by love languages.
She was one of 19 finalists in the national CEO pitch competition out of 400 who entered.
She said there were several challenges in launching a business as a high school student.
“I’d say the hardest part, though, is just finding the time. These take a lot of time, especially because I work by myself, Potter said.
The Knox County CEO program has selected its new class for next year.
The CEO trade show in Macomb
15 students showed off their start-up businesses during the McDonough County CEO Trade Show at the Spoon River College Community Outreach Center in Macomb.
They included Apple Kingdom’s Treat, a cottage bakery run by Macomb High School junior Nari Bodiford.
“You’re always going to have someone that wants to buy chocolate chip cookies or a pie or a caramel cheesecake. Something that just tastes really good,” Bodiford said.
She said the CEO program has helped her to manage money, have a budget, be professional, and to know how to set herself up for success, not failure.
Another of the businesses on display was a Blandinsville-based car detailing service run by Carter Powell.
“It’s Carter Detailing. The details are in the name,” he said, demonstrating the branding and marketing skills he developed in CEO.
Powell, a senior at West Prairie High, is headed to the University of Illinois to major in engineering.
Jayden Chenoweth, a senior at Bushnell-Prairie City High, turned her skill for making gift baskets into the business, Lucky Duck Baskets.
“I make baskets for my family members, my friends for birthdays, Christmas. I’ve always had a passion for making gifts for other people because my love language is giving gifts,” she said.
Chenoweth said her most popular basket is her popcorn basket. It comes with a 24-hour movie rental to Redbox, three boxes of candy, two types of popcorn, and two popcorn seasonings.
Chenoweth is doing this on the side to earn a little extra money before she heads off to the pre-law program at Cornell College. She said running Lucky Duck Baskets is not her long-term plan, though she said said it was well worth it to go through the CEO program.
“I want to have my own law firm when I’m older, so it has taught me the steps on how to create my own business and what I need to have my own business,” she said.
And that’s kind of the idea, according to Alison Jefferson, facilitator for the McDonough County CEO program.
She said they want to give the students professional development and life skills while teaching them about all aspects of business.
Jefferson enjoys seeing the students get excited about taking a passion or a hobby and making money from it, and she enjoys watching as the idea of branding clicks with them.
“Seeing those little light bulb moments go off when they get it is perhaps the most rewarding part of all,” she said.
Jefferson anticipates more of those little light bulb moments coming up. She said they have already selected a class of 17 for next school year, which will be the fifth year of the CEO program in McDonough County.
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