PERRYVILLE – Perryville-area businesses are showing their support of a new program that will transform local high-school students into entrepreneurial thinkers by signing on as sponsors for the Perryville Area CEO Program.
Amy Camarillo, facilitator of the Perryville CEO program that will launch at the start of the 2024-25 school year, presents information to area business leaders about how they can help high school students develop critical employability skills.
The Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Program is a 3-hour block program that will launch in Fall 2024 at Perryville High School in partnership with Perryville Area Career & Technology Center. It will involve up to 25 high school students each year from Perryville, Saxony Lutheran and St. Vincent High Schools who live in Perry County. The students and their program facilitator Amy Camarillo will spend class time in local businesses learning from the people who drive the progress and success of Perry County.
The first financial sponsors for the program include Schemel Companies, Rollet Bros. Trucking, The Bank of Missouri, Glendon Sattler Shelter Insurance, Stark Property Management, Mary Jane Burgers and Brew, SMS Investments, Stonie’s Sausage Shop, Brass + Bone, Hitch + Revel, Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce, Wabash Valley Power Alliance, Downtown Perryville Advancement Inc., First State Community Bank, Robinson Construction Company, Perry County Economic Development Authority, Perry County Heritage Tourism, Cissell Transportation, Richardet Floor Covering, Zoellner Construction Company, Larry Schmidt Truck Parts, MFA Services, Citizens Electric, and Roziers.
“Through the CEO Program, students will be immersed in the community where they will develop essential employability skills,” Mrs. Camarillo said. “They will identify a product or service that is needed here, create a business plan, and launch their own business.”
Camarillo and the CEO Program Advisory Board presented information about the program to business leaders during a recent open house at Perry County School District 32.
“Students can have no better education than being in the workplace, where they are exposed to varied opportunities and develop strong employability skills,” she said. “Local businesses gain the opportunity to develop the workforce of the future.”
Board member David Monier added, “We want our young people to see Perryville as a great place to live and work. When I graduated 40 years ago, the perception was that you had to leave Perryville to find a great job and we have lost a lot of local talent over the years. By investing in our talented young people and welcoming them into our businesses, we can show them that they have opportunities for fantastic careers in Perryville.”
The Perryville Area CEO Program Advisory Board brings together local leaders from many industries and organizations. Jared Cochran of Speed Fabrication and Carisa Stark of Mary Jane Burgers and Brews are the co-chairs, and members are EDA Executive Director Crystal Jones, Dave Monier of Robinson Construction Company, Ed Flores of The Bank of Missouri, Dennis Bohnert of First State Community Bank, Amy Kiehne of Saxony Lutheran High School, Melanie Dodd of St. Vincent High School, and Craig Hayden of District 32.
Perryville will be just the second school in Missouri to host the CEO Program which has had over 4,700 graduates from more than 70 programs in 10 states. Communities across the nation have seen the CEO Program strengthen the future workforce, increase economic development with the launch of multiple new businesses each year, and cause bright students to invest in their hometowns instead of moving away for economic opportunities.
There are several ways that businesses can join this exciting program to foster innovation and investment in Perry County:
- Program Investor – $1,000 (or more) per year for 3 years
- Host the Class at Your Business or Visit the Class as a Guest Speaker – This is a one-time, 90-minute visit during the school year.
- Mentor – This is a more involved role. In-person once a month for an in-person mentor/mentee meeting during normal class time along with some email/phone availability between the in-person sessions.
- Provide a Class Host Site – Provide a conference room at your location for the class to meet, 2-3 times per week.
For more information about the Perryville Area CEO Program, contact Amy Camarillo at acamarillo@pcsd32.com or 547-7500 Ext. 1245.