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.