Wednesday morning at The Weingarten was something special.

With its rustic charm, soaring ceilings, concrete floors, and an entire wall of glass garage doors flooding the room with sunlight, it was the perfect setting to celebrate something we have spent the last year building together. Tables dressed in black linens filled the space as students and board members began arriving just before 7:00 a.m. Our students came dressed for the occasion—boys in suits and ties, girls in blazers—and they looked incredible. They knew this was an important day.

Waiting for each guest at the tables was our annual report , a 20-page booklet telling the story of our year. Every business visit. Every investor. Every challenge. Every event. Every student. Every bit of growth. Bound together as a reminder of just how far this inaugural class has come.

Our Investor Appreciation Breakfast for Silver Creek Area CEO was a celebration of belief, support, growth, and community. And just like every other event we’ve held this year, our supporters showed up in a big way. More than 130 people filled the room to support our young entrepreneurs.

We were honored to partner with Betty Ann Market for breakfast. Owner Craig Norrenberns and manager Mike Klein have supported our program from the very beginning, and having them as part of this morning meant so much to us.

What stood out most was watching four communities come together as one. As different groups were recognized throughout the morning, the impact became impossible to ignore. First our Board of Directors stood. Then community leaders and elected officials. School administrators. Financial investors. Parents. Mentors. Site visit hosts. Guest speakers. And of course, our home base for the year, Wisper Internet. Had everyone stood at once, there may have been no one left sitting except the students themselves.

And there they sat, gathered at high-top tables facing the audience, surrounded by people who believed in them. People who encouraged them, challenged them, invested in them, guided them, and helped shape this inaugural year. You could feel the weight of that moment in the room.

The morning then belonged to the students during a 30-minute Q&A session about their year in CEO. They spoke thoughtfully about challenges they faced, lessons they learned, confidence they gained, and the impact this experience had on their lives. They answered with honesty, professionalism, and poise. Watching them speak with such maturity and confidence was a proud moment for all of us.

And in a moment that perfectly reflected everything this program stands for, the students presented a giant check to the Board of Directors. After learning all year from business owners about the importance of giving back and investing into your community, the class chose to donate $3,000 of their own class business revenue back into the Silver Creek Area CEO program. It was such a meaningful full-circle moment — students taking what they learned and putting it into action.

One of the most emotional moments of the morning was the presentation of the MB Foundation Scholarship. Maddie Best was an O’Fallon high school student whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in October 2023. She was known for her inspirational and inclusive character….embracing the world around her, and bringing joy to others. Her father, Kory C Best, who spoke to our students back in February and left a lasting impact on all of us, presented the $1,500 scholarship to a student who truly embodied Maddie’s spirit.

As Macie Dill of Freeburg High School heard her name announced as the recipient, emotion immediately filled the room. Unable to hold back tears, Macie walked forward surrounded by applause, love, and pride from everyone there.

The morning concluded with our students receiving their CEO graduation cords, lovingly donated by Vernon Hamm of Hamm Family Farms. There were tears. There was laughter. And there was an overwhelming sense of pride in that room. Because every single person there played a role in this journey.

We built this together.

And Wednesday morning, we all had the chance to see the results firsthand.

We are incredibly proud of the Class of 2026 — the inaugural class of Silver Creek Area CEO — and deeply grateful for every person who helped turn this dream into a reality. ❤️