Metro East Sun

In a Jan. 31 Facebook post, Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) shared an opportunity for youths in his district to look into local Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) programs.

“Local CEO programs are accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year,” he wrote on Facebook. “This is a great opportunity for any young person who wants to learn and think outside of the box.”

The Southern Illinois Community Foundation (SICF) noted its program is funded through business investors and open to high school juniors and seniors.

“Entrepreneurship education is not just about teaching someone to run a business,” SICF wrote. “ It is also about encouraging creative thinking and promoting a strong sense of self-worth and accountability.  Through entrepreneurship education, students learn how to create a business and more.”

In his Facebook post, Davidsmeyer shared a link to the Illinois Electric Cooperative, which provided more information on a variety of CEO programs for youths. Those included the Morgan-Scott, Greene-Calhoun, and Pike programs, with 54 students representing more than a dozen schools in its service territory.

 CEO's goal is to teach students life, business, and leadership skills while forming a close bond with their community. 

"This year's off to a great start. (The) number of students participating this year is high and it's great to have so many in the Greene-Calhoun class after a year off," said Jennifer Sellars, the Morgan-Scott CEO and Greene-Calhoun CEO program facilitator. She said students in CEO learn and practice valuable skills, such as public speaking, crafting a business plan, and ultimately launching a product or service-based business of their own.

Other schools offer CEO programs as well.

Davidsmeyer was sworn in for the new legislative session Jan. 11 to represent the 100th District. He was also named assistant Republican leader, by Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), the new House Republican leader.

 “I am honored and thankful to be able to serve the constituents of the 100th District,” Davidsmeyer said. “The people of Illinois have faced many tough challenges in the past few years and there will be more challenges ahead. I will continue to fight for a return to sanity in state government.”

A legislator since 2013, Davidsmeyer is a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, except for college, when he attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and later worked as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman John Shimkus in Washington, DC. He joined the Jacksonville City Council in 2008 and has served as the chairman of the Public Protection Committee and chair of the Finance Committee. He has also been active in the local chamber of commerce, Rotary and Library Board.