Leadership for a pair of local business programs at area high schools is in need of mentors.

Melanie Brown facilitates the Central Illinois CEO program and Lisa Shepard facilitates the Sangamon Valley CEO program and they are in need of local business owners to guide their students.

Brown explains mentors are anyone with a business background and who meets with the students once a month in person and they are there to listen to the students guide them through any challenges they may be facing.

A mentor and student relationship work best when the match is a good fit and Shepard says that's what they try to do. Shepard notes they try to do things before the matches are made to make sure they will be solid. 

It's not too late to become a mentor. Shepard encourages any local business owner that might like to invest in a young person in their community to reach out to the respective CEO chapter in your area.

You can learn about the two programs by visiting centralillinoisceo.com or sangamonvalleyceo.com. Both groups are on Facebook as well.