As school leaders look ahead to the 2020-2021 school year and try to plan for a school year at a time when the future is so fluid, the Central Illinois CEO program is patiently waiting back as the districts in their cluster of schools develop plans best for their communities. 

Yesterday on Regional Radio News, Program Leader Melanie Brown discussed the successful first year of the program in Blue Ridge, Clinton, Maroa-Forsyth, and Warrensburg-Latham schools despite the pandemic altered in the 4th quarter. She indicates planning for the next school year will begin once area schools have their plans ready.

Teaching students about business, focusing on real-world skills, and focusing on central Illinois are the three focuses of the program and Brown indicates they will continue to keep that focus no matter what the next year has in store.

At the start of the calendar year, students began applying for this year and once the coronavirus hit, the application deadline was extended and that has delayed an announcement on who is in the program for next year. Brown says those names should be released soon.

Brown stresses the program is 100-percent investor funded and is not funded at all by the State of Illinois nor the school districts. She says they are still looking for donors but if financial support is not possible for your business, business owners can be guest speakers, site hosts, or mentors to their students.

Get more information about the Central Illinois CEO program by visiting centralillinoisceo.com or by finding them on Facebook by searching 'Central CEO IL'.