Today was a big day for our Sangamon Valley CEO class. 💼✨

Twelve students stepped up to deliver their Board Pitch — and they absolutely rose to the occasion. Watching them take everything they’ve learned from months of site visits, conversations with business owners, financial deep-dives, and real-world experiences — and shape it into concise, confident, and well-developed pitches — was incredible.

This is what the Sangamon Valley CEO program is all about: learning by doing, refining ideas, and having the courage to present your vision.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated board members who showed up, listened intently, asked thoughtful questions, and ultimately invested in these young entrepreneurs by awarding grants to fund their individual business ventures. Your belief in them matters more than you know.

The future of business is bright — and today proved it.

Monticello High School Cerro Gordo School District 100 Argenta-Oreana CUSD #1 High School Bement CUSD 5 Burgess & Cline, Inc. Village of Argenta, Illinois City of Monticello, Illinois Government State Bank of Bement Kirby Medical Center