Northwest Illinois CEO

Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities Program

In an effort to keep young people in the area for workforce, entreprenurial enterprises and the overall business growth of Freeport, our local business community has partnered with Freeport High School (beginning in the 2026/27 school year) to create project-based experiences for students by providing funding, expertise, meeting space, business tours, and one-on-one mentoring. This program has been developed by the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship and has a total of 75 CEO programs in 350 schools and through the generosity of 2841 investors, is serving 6000 students.

Through this 2 credit Freeport H.S. elective, 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.

Ways to Get Involved:

• Become an Investor: Financial support is crucial for the program’s operation. Becoming an investor is a way to support in the next generation of local entrepreneurs. 
• Become a Friend of CEO, another way to support the program. Your donation provides the needed resources for students while enrolled.
• Become a mentor: The program relies on mentors from the local business community to guide and support students. Mentors provide real-world insights into business leadership and entrepreneurship.
• Serve as a board member: Local business owners are instrumental in shaping the program by serving on its board of directors.
• Offer a class visit: The curriculum involves a series of classes hosted at local businesses. By offering your workplace as a meeting location, you give students direct exposure to the business environment.
• Serve as a guest speaker: Share your business expertise and professional journey with students by speaking to the class. This helps students gain diverse perspectives on entrepreneurship.
• Participate in networking: Attend special events to network with the students and support their growth. Building relationships with the students is key to their success.