The Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Board of Directors is now accepting student applications to participate in the 2019-2020 CEO class.

The CEO class is a year-long course that takes high school seniors out of the typical school environment and into a hands-on environment that is focused on solving real world problems with business based solutions. The class is scheduled to meet from 7:50 to 9:20 a.m. each school day, in a variety of businesses located throughout Montgomery County.

CEO students are paired with local business leaders and visit area businesses, gain valuable insights from guest lecturers and put their knowledge and teamwork to the test by planning and organizing a class business. Students participating in the program learn many critical concepts including problem solving skills, teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility, higher order thinking, communication and inquiry.

The course is financially supported by CEO Business Investors and Friends of CEO. In addition to providing meeting spaces, the business leaders that collaborate with the CEO program also provide business tours, expertise and one-on-one mentoring to the students in the program. 

"This is not a program necessarily looking for straight-A, college-bound students," explained Heather Hampton+Knodle, chair of the CEO board of directors. "We are sure to have some of those students, but it is not always the most academically focused students that prosper and succeed in this environment. We are looking for students with drive, determination, creative thinking skills and an interest in business and entrepreneurship."

The Montgomery County CEO program accepts high school juniors attending Hillsboro, Litchfield, Nokomis and Panhandle  high schools. Potential participants must be able to dress and act appropriately, be extremely punctual and be able to provide their own transportation (or carpool) to class meeting sites. Applications may be accessed online at www.montgomeryceo.com and must be completed and returned to the school guidance counselor by Friday, March 15. The students who apply to the program will be notified of their acceptance status by Monday, April 8.