Silver Creek Area CEO

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

They stepped out of their cars looking a little different today. A little taller. A little more grown up. And maybe just a little more like the business professionals they are becoming.

Around 6:45 this morning, one by one, cars filled the parking lot across from St. Louis Coffee World in Lebanon, and out stepped our students. The gentlemen were dressed in suits and ties, and the ladies in blazers and high heels. They are accustomed to dressing business casual every day for CEO, but today was special. Today was their first time showing up as business professionals.

As they looked around at one another, there was an unmistakable mix of excitement and nervous energy. But there was also something else. They looked proud. They knew they looked different today. They felt different.

We took a quick half-block stroll down Lebanon’s historic cobblestone street, and tucked behind an iron fence with beautiful brick pillars was a little green space that could easily be missed if you didn’t know it was there.

What a gem.

Benches tucked beneath mature trees, a gazebo, beautiful plants and meticulously cared-for landscaping made this little hidden space the perfect setting for our morning.

And then they met Christine Litteken of Switzerfilm.

The nerves didn’t last long. Christine has a way of bringing the energy wherever she goes. She is warm, incredibly engaging and so easy to talk to, and within minutes those nervous smiles had turned into pure excitement. She made our students feel incredibly comfortable in front of the camera, and before long they were laughing, relaxing and having fun with the whole experience.

The students lined up, waiting for their turn, and you could tell pretty quickly that this was new territory for them. They weren’t quite sure where to stand, what to do with their hands or how to “pose” for a professional photograph. And honestly, it was pretty adorable to watch.

But as Christine worked with each of them, the nerves started to disappear. Before long, the students waiting their turn were laughing, joking and letting their personalities come out. Brina was capturing the behind-the-scenes moments while Teagan, Patrick and Chris were making videos, and suddenly this very professional morning had plenty of very teenage moments mixed in.

They may be learning how to present themselves as young business professionals, but they are still 17- and 18-year-olds figuring it all out. And I love that.

Patrick had the honor of being our CEO today, introducing Christine to the group and welcoming her to our class. The morning just took off from there.

Once the last headshot was taken, we headed back to St. Louis Coffee World, where Christine continued the morning by sharing her story and her experience in photography, videography and content creation.

St. Louis Coffee World is always so generous about allowing our class to use their space when we need a place to sit down and learn outside of Wisper Internet, and we are so grateful.

As Christine began talking about her work with Switzerfilm, I think more than a few students realized just how many possibilities there are in this field. Her career has taken her all over, from filming weddings, including many Disney weddings, to work in Hawaii and major events like the LPGA tournament with Hilton Grand Vacations. She shared what it’s like to work with a large production team, filming from sunrise to sunset and capturing everything from the tournament itself to concerts and brand activations.

For the students in our class who are considering careers in photography or videography, hearing about her experiences was incredibly insightful. They were getting a glimpse into a career that can take you places they may never have imagined.

Christine also talked with the students about storytelling and creating content for social media. We are going to be doing a lot of that this year as our students build their businesses, so the timing couldn’t have been better.

And then there was a fun little connection that made the morning even more special for our students from Freeburg and O’Fallon.

Christine shared that two of their teachers, Mrs. McQuiston and Mrs. Wolk were actually her college roommates 20 years ago. Two decades later, they are still best friends.

How cool is that?

I think those are the little connections that make a CEO experience so memorable.

But what really stood out to me about Christine was that her investment in our students didn’t end when her presentation did. She shared her phone number with them and told them to reach out if they have questions about photography or videography. She even offered to meet with them again over Zoom.

She didn’t just show up, take their pictures and leave. She connected with them. She encouraged them. And she opened the door for them to keep learning from someone who is actually doing this work every day.

And Christine’s work wasn’t quite finished when she wrapped up her presentation. She’s a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to her work, so she’s going through the photos and making sure everything is just right before we share them.

So… stay tuned! Our professional headshots and official Class of 2027 photo will be coming soon!

Christine, thank you for sharing your talent, your experience and your time with us today!
You gave them beautiful headshots, but you also gave them a glimpse into a career they may not have known was possible and a new connection they can continue to learn from.

Such a fun morning. Such a great first. And so much more than just a headshot.

09/03/2026

Pay attention.

That may have been one of the biggest lessons our Silver Creek Area CEO students took away from our morning at Betty Ann Market in Mascoutah.

Mike Klein, Store Director at Betty Ann Market, led our visit, and from the very beginning, he had our students engaged.

After handshakes and a warm welcome, one of the first things he did was introduce us to Cheryl.

Mike looked at our students and said, “If you’re going to have a business someday, everybody needs a Cheryl.”

He told them Cheryl has been working alongside him since 2000 and described her as “more reliable than the sunrise.” He talked about how she takes everything in stride, knows what she’s doing and, most importantly, always puts the customer first.

Then he said something else that really stuck with me: “My life is a whole lot better and my job is a lot easier because Cheryl’s here with me every single morning.”

What a wonderful way to recognize an employee in front of a group of young people who are just beginning to think about what kind of leaders they want to become.

Mike is truly one of the happiest and most positive people I’ve ever met. He radiates joy.

One of the things I especially appreciated was the way Mike kept pulling other people into the conversation. Instead of doing all the talking himself, he introduced our students to the people who could add something valuable to the story.

Christian came over from the meat department and shared about his work as a meat cutter and sausage maker, including the generations of knowledge that have been passed down to him. Rick with Middendorf & Reuss Construction talked with the students about the incredible renovation happening at Betty Ann Market and what it takes to keep a business operating while undergoing such a major transformation.

Middendorf & Reuss has been part of that process for nearly three years, and Betty Ann Market has somehow remained open throughout almost all of it. That’s quite a story in itself.

But there was an unspoken lesson in the way Mike led our morning.

He paid attention to the people around him.

He knew who could add something valuable to the conversation, and he made sure our students heard from them.

The same could be said for the business itself.

Walk through Betty Ann Market and you see a business that has clearly paid attention to its community. A florist. Salad bar. Sushi chefs. Dry-aged meats. Local products like Busybody Meals, honey and Salsa Rose. Specialty coffees and ice cream at The Cafe at Betty Ann Market. And now, plans for fresh breakfast options and a drive-through because Mascoutah has very few fresh breakfast choices.

Each one represents a decision to listen, notice and respond.

Our students had plenty of questions along the way. They asked about profit margins, competition, employees, products and how Betty Ann decides what to add next.

And that is where the lesson became especially meaningful.

Because our students have heard many of these same ideas from successful business leaders the past few weeks. Find a need. Solve a problem. Listen to your customers. Build relationships.

And when students hear the same principles repeated by completely different businesses, something starts to happen. The lessons begin to stick. They begin to understand that these aren’t just CEO concepts. They are the things successful business owners actually do.

You can see that mindset in the incredible investment Craig Norrenberns, owner of Betty Ann Market, has poured into the building. The expansion isn’t simply about making the store bigger. It is about creating something the community needs and giving people more reasons to shop local and experience something unique right here in Mascoutah.

Nathan was our CEO of the Day, and he was a pretty perfect fit for this visit. Nathan is one of those students who naturally seems to have a smile on his face, so spending a morning with Mike was especially fitting.

Kelsey had the honors behind the camera today, capturing the people, the conversations and what turned into some very happy students.

Because at the end of our visit, our students each treated themselves to a drink from The Cafe at Betty Ann Market.

You should have seen their faces light up.

It was such a fun way to end our morning, and I have to admit, seeing them enjoy the experience made me pretty proud of them.

And of course, I had to try one myself. I ordered The 1930, one of Betty Ann Market’s signature drinks, named for the year their butcher shoppe opened. Espresso, brown sugar, caramel and toasted marshmallow cold foam.

Ummmm… I’ll definitely be ordering that one again very soon!

And maybe that brings us back to where we started.

Pay attention.

Betty Ann Market has spent years paying attention to the needs of the Mascoutah community and finding ways to serve them. But they also paid attention to a need that goes beyond the walls of their store: the need to invest in the next generation.

Betty Ann Market was one of the founding investors in Silver Creek Area CEO. They saw the value in pouring into high school students and helping prepare them for the future, and they continue to show up for our students and this program.

That kind of investment means so much to us.

Because just like Betty Ann Market is looking at what its customers and community need today, our students are learning to look ahead and think about what their communities will need tomorrow.

Thank you, Mike, Craig, Cheryl, Christian, Rick and the entire Betty Ann Market team for paying attention, opening your doors, sharing your wisdom, bringing others into the conversation and investing in our students.

We are so proud to partner with you.

09/03/2026

Yesterday, our Silver Creek Area CEO students walked into June’s Breakfast + Patio in Shiloh for our first site visit of the year.

Only a handful of our students had ever been to June’s before, so it was exciting for many of them to experience it for the first time. They were immediately welcomed with the kind of warmth and friendliness that makes you feel at home. After ordering coffee or breakfast downstairs, they made their way upstairs to a quaint little room tucked away in the back.

Once everyone was in their seats, Kayla, our CEO of the Day, provided the official introduction for Jon Welzbacher, who founded June’s with his wife, Liz. Surrounded by old wood floors, historic charm and sunlight flooding through the windows, our students listened as Jon shared the story of how June’s came to be.

Jon and Liz had been living in St. Louis, where they loved having so many coffee shops and places to gather with friends and family. When they would cross the river and come back home to visit their families, they noticed something was missing. There simply weren’t many places like the ones they had grown to love in St. Louis, places where you could grab a coffee or a meal, slow down, visit with friends and stay awhile. That realization eventually became the beginning of June’s.

Then they found the property in Shiloh.

It was a long way from the beautiful, welcoming space our students were sitting in that morning. The basement was completely flooded, a wall had collapsed and the ceilings had been ripped open to the studs. But Jon and Liz could see what it could become. They saw the potential for a place where people could slow down, enjoy good food and coffee, unwind and connect with friends.

That story brought our students right back to something they have already started learning through our badge business: identify a problem. What need exists? What can you do to solve it? When our students begin creating their individual businesses, they will have to ask themselves those same questions.

Jon then took that idea one step further and introduced them to another concept they will be learning about: value proposition. How do you uniquely fulfill the problem you’ve identified better than your competitors?

June’s is a perfect example. It isn’t just about breakfast and coffee. It’s about the experience. Jon and Liz were intentional about creating a place that feels warm, beautiful and welcoming, a place where people want to gather, linger and connect.

The gardens are a big part of that experience. What began as Jon’s hobby of gardening became part of the identity and story of June’s. They grow some of their own produce, source from local farmers and vendors, and make intentional choices around sustainability. Even some of the products they use cost more because they are compostable or recyclable. Jon shared that in four and a half years, June’s has kept the equivalent of 36 SUVs worth of waste out of the landfill.

Jon also talked about the realities of running a business that our students don’t always get to see. In addition to June’s, Jon runs his own cybersecurity business, so managing his time and knowing where to focus his energy is important. Every member of the June’s team is cross-trained to do every job. Everyone has a role, but everyone can step in and fill another role when needed. He shared the importance of knowing the value of your time, knowing when to outsource and building a team you can trust.

And then there was the part of the story that really showed our students what perseverance looks like.

Funding a restaurant in 2020 was not easy. Jon went to 18 banks and heard no every time. He kept going until he reached the 19th bank, Bank of O’Fallon, which believed in his business plan and said yes. He told our students that the relationship he already had with people at the bank helped open that door, reinforcing another lesson he wanted them to understand: relationships matter, and you never know where the connections you make today may lead years from now.

By the time Jon finished sharing his story, the students had plenty of questions. Kelsey asked how June’s built its customer base after COVID without relying on paid Google or SEO advertising. Jon explained that they focused on good products, good service and paying their employees well, allowing word of mouth to become their primary marketing. Annabelle asked how he manages two businesses and balances work and life. Others wanted to know what the renovation process was really like and whether being turned down by so many banks ever made him second-guess his idea.

And there was something pretty special about hearing all of this from Jon because he is one of our Silver Creek Area CEO mentors and has continued to support our students in so many ways. Whether it’s providing complimentary coffee at an event, or attending our Meet & Greet, Fish Tank or Trade Show, Jon and Liz consistently show up for our students and our program. He has become one of those people we know we can count on.

There’s an especially special connection to our program, too. Jon is a graduate of O’Fallon Township High School, and Liz is a graduate of Mascoutah High School, two of the four schools represented in our CEO class.

That’s what makes mornings like this so valuable. Our students aren’t just hearing about entrepreneurship. They are experiencing it in the very places where entrepreneurs have taken an idea, identified a need, taken a risk and built something that becomes part of their community.

Thank you, Jon and Liz, for opening your doors to us, welcoming our students so warmly, sharing your story and continuing to show up for Silver Creek Area CEO. We are so grateful for you and the entire June’s team.

09/02/2026

Yesterday morning, Ania and Kayla were standing side by side at CEO. Ten hours later, they were standing on opposite sides of the volleyball net.

Ania plays for Mascoutah. Kayla plays for O’Fallon. They are proud of their schools, their teams and the communities they represent.

But when they walk into CEO each morning, those school identities stay outside our doors. No school logos. No school sweatshirts. No Mascoutah, O’Fallon, Freeburg or Lebanon.

For 90 minutes each morning, there are just 22 students from four different schools. We ask them to get to know each other, support each other and become one team and one family.

And then at 8:30 a.m., they walk out our doors and become Mascoutah Indians, O’Fallon Panthers, Freeburg Midgets and Lebanon Greyhounds again.

Last night, that meant Ania and Kayla found themselves on opposite sides of the volleyball net.

They both wanted to win. They both played hard. And they both represented their schools well.

But when the match was over, there they were again, standing side by side.

Still proud of their schools. Still proud to be part of Silver Creek Area CEO. And still friends.

That is one of the unexpected gifts of bringing students from four different schools together. They don’t have to give up who they are or where they come from to become part of something bigger. They can compete against each other, cheer for each other and genuinely care about each other.

Yesterday morning, they were CEO classmates. Last night, they were competitors. And after the final whistle, they were friends again.

I’m so glad I got to watch this one from the sidelines.

09/02/2026

You know someone really believes in CEO when they keep showing up.

And Vern Hamm keeps showing up.

Vern was one of the founding investors in Silver Creek Area CEO. He continues to invest in our program every year, serves on our Board of Directors, mentors our students one-on-one, and today he joined us as a guest speaker.

And honestly, I think Vern just really loves CEO.

If you know Vern, you know he is a straight shooter. He doesn’t sugarcoat much of anything, and definitely not entrepreneurship. Today was no different.

Vern shared his own journey with our students, from graduating high school without really knowing what he wanted to do, to building a career that took him around the world and eventually starting his own successful consulting business. He talked about taking risks, understanding your numbers, knowing your customers, building relationships and being willing to work hard for what you want.

He gave them the real version of entrepreneurship, including the hard parts, the mistakes and the things you learn along the way. And I think our students appreciate that about Vern. He tells them what he thinks, challenges them to think differently and isn’t afraid to be blunt.

Our CEO of the Day, Emmet, did a great job representing our class. He was the first to greet Vern with a handshake, introduced him to the class, helped lead us through the morning and closed out the class before we gathered for pictures. Those small leadership opportunities are such an important part of what our students experience in CEO.

And our Photographer of the Day, Nathan, was there to capture the morning for us.

Vern, thank you for being such an important part of Silver Creek Area CEO and for investing so much of yourself in our students. We are lucky to have you.

09/01/2026

Last week in Silver Creek Area CEO, we talked about what it means to dive into your first business venture. Our students need professional name badges to wear throughout the year, so they are using that need as an opportunity to create and run their own Badge Business. They are developing the plan, figuring out the production and costs, determining pricing and working through the many decisions that come with starting a real business.

After coming back from the weekend, the students started our morning by giving updates on the plans they’ve been developing, the work they’ve completed and what still needs to happen to move their business forward.

Part of CEO is learning how to pitch. All year long, these students will be pitching ideas, asking questions, presenting their businesses and trying to convince someone else that their idea is worth considering. Sometimes they’ll have plenty of time to prepare. Other times, they’ll need to think quickly, organize their thoughts and speak with confidence with very little preparation.

So yesterday, we practiced.

I sent them to their cars and told them to bring back a completely random item. They had just five minutes to come up with a persuasive sales pitch.

Charlie was practicing his pitch for a retractable phone charger and had so much confidence that he volunteered to go first. That alone made me smile.

And then the creativity started coming. Chloe walked in carrying a small toolbox, but that wasn’t what she was selling. She turned it into a “mystery box” containing anywhere from $20 to $1,000 worth of mystery items. She wouldn’t open it. She was selling the mystery for $50. Creative, unique and definitely not the pitch I would have expected from a toolbox.

Nick took a completely different approach with his multi-purpose tool, which included jumper cables, an air pump and a flashlight. Rather than focusing on all the individual features, he built his pitch around two things people could immediately understand: safety and convenience.

There was plenty of laughter along the way, too. Chris attempted to sell a flat iron that had belonged to his mother, while Gentry made a strong case for owning “the coolest sunglasses ever.”

And then Brina absolutely nailed her pitch. Her voice carried across the room with a confidence and projection that made me stop and smile. It was one of those moments when you can see a student beginning to find their voice.

Those moments mattered.

Because the item wasn’t really the point.

The point was what happened when 22 students were told, “You have five minutes. Figure it out.”

They had to organize their thoughts quickly. They had to decide what mattered about their product and who might actually want it. Then they had to stand in front of their classmates and deliver a persuasive pitch.

They practiced projecting their voices. They practiced eye contact. They practiced portraying confidence. They practiced thinking on their feet. And maybe most importantly, they practiced stepping into an uncomfortable situation and doing it anyway.

We will do a lot of pitching this year. They will pitch ideas. They’ll pitch their businesses. They’ll pitch themselves.

Sometimes they’ll have a polished presentation and plenty of time to prepare. Sometimes they’ll have five minutes.

Yesterday, they learned that they can do a lot with five minutes.

The products were random. The lesson wasn’t.

We’re building confidence, one pitch at a time.

08/29/2026

One of the best parts of Silver Creek Area CEO happens outside of our normal 90-minutes together each morning. CEO is about building relationships, getting to know our students beyond their business ideas, and showing up to celebrate the things that matter to them.

Last night, five of our Freeburg students celebrated Senior Night, and it was so much fun to see them honored. Congratulations to Gentry, Annabelle, Nick, Bella, and Brina! Patrick was there too, cheering them on.

Another sweet moment of the night was the surprise of getting to see Eli, from last year’s CEO class, before he headed off to trade school in Arkansas this morning. It was so good to see him and hear about what’s ahead. These relationships don’t end when the CEO year does, and that means a lot.

Then this morning, Kaiden from Lebanon and Chloe from Mascoutah were both running in the same cross-country meet. I loved getting the chance to be there and cheer them on.

I’m proud of what our students accomplish in CEO, but I’m just as proud of the things they are doing outside of CEO. I want to know what they’re passionate about, what they’re working toward, what they’re celebrating, and sometimes even what they’re nervous about.

Because these kids are becoming so much more than entrepreneurs during their CEO year. They’re becoming young adults with big dreams, busy schedules, talents, challenges, and plans for what comes next. Getting to be a small part of that is a privilege I don’t take for granted.

And honestly, I wouldn’t want to miss it.