EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Community Foundation and the newly formed Edwardsville Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Program are teaming up to give high school seniors firsthand business experience from local business owners.
The CEO program of Richland County is now accepting applications for out-of-the box thinkers who are interested in participating in next year’s CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program. The Richland County CEO Program - partnering with the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship- is much more than an entrepreneurship program. It is an experiential learning course that offers seniors in high school the chance to participate in real life experiences.
In June, Land of Lincoln CEO student Emma Schoth was one of three winners at the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship’s CEO Next National Trade Show in Effingham, Ill. Last week she repeated as a top entrepreneur, winning first place and $6,000 at the Illinois State University School of Business Means Center Startup Showcase with Drake’s Toys, an on-line subscription toy store catering to children with autism and other special needs.
Changing the world is like raising a child: It takes a village. Minds aren’t changed by money, and local organizations know who the thought leaders are in their community. Decentralized charities tend to be smart bets because their structure implies they have grassroots support in the areas they serve. The Midland Institute’s Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program, for example, uses a decentralized model to improve economic prospects for young people in rural areas.
Students at Jersey Community High School will have a chance to dip their toe into the world of entrepreneurship with the start up of the Jersey County CEO program.