CHARLESTON — Thirteen high school student entrepreneurs put their business talents on display for the public as part of the ClassE trade show and reception at the LifeSpan Center on Tuesday night.
This is the first year for ClassE, which is an entrepreneurial development class where students jump start their own business. Enrolled in the class are six students from Mattoon High School, six from Charleston High School and one from Oakland High School.
Jeanne Dau of the Business Solutions Center at Eastern Illinois University is the teacher of ClassE; she said the class is offered to high school juniors and seniors during fall and spring semesters and is modeled after the Effingham CEO class.
“This class is learning by doing,” Dau said. “The students choose what they are passionate about.”
Students enrolled in the class create a business plan and are given money by businesses in the area to put their plans into action.
The businesses that students had on display at the trade show and reception were: 2 Moms Dressings, C4 (Coles County Chess Club), College Cuisine on a Dime, EB Icee, Working Hands Day Labor, Lizard Energy, Right Path Landscaping and Lawn Care, Mobile Detailing, Miller’s Truck Shop, Speedrobo Games and Wiles Goods.
Michael Strader and Colton Anderson, co-owners of Right Path Landscape and Lawn Care, both said they came up with the idea for their business because they have family members who work in the landscaping industry, in addition to both having dabbled in lawn mowing jobs during the summer.
“We love it and love that it doesn’t feel like a job,” Strader said.
The various services Right Path Landscape and Lawn Care offers include general landscaping, curbside appeal and mulch work. Also, during the winter, the co-owners provide snow removal as well as hanging outside Christmas lights.
Anderson said he enjoys the business because it’s something that he can do year ’round.
“It’s something we enjoy doing and we can do in the summer and continue in the fall,” Anderson said. “I like being able to take something that’s a bunch of shrubs and weeds and turning it into something great.”
Anderson, 18, a senior at MHS, plans to attend Concordia University Chicago after graduating this year, but said he still plans to stay involved in the business when he’s away at college.
“I will be able to operate from college,” Anderson said. “I expect to stay involved — I don’t want to lose involvement in the business.”
In college, Anderson said he wants to major in business management to help bring new ideas to Right Path Landscaping and Lawn Care.
After college Anderson said he plans to focus his full attention on the business.
“After four years of college I will hit it really hard and enhance my knowledge base,” Anderson said.
Strader, 18, a senior at Oakland High School, said he plans to stay around the area and attend Lake Land College so he can stay fully involved in the business.
He plans to study business administration at LLC.
“I hope to heighten the business,” Strader said.
Both Strader and Anderson said they enjoyed ClassE and were glad they took it.
“I loved it,” Strader said. It was the highlight of my senior year and I didn’t even mind driving all the way from Oakland.”
Anderson said the class helped him figure out what he wanted to pursue as a career.
“This class has been amazing,” Anderson said. “I never expected to learn life lessons. It really helps you find yourself.”
Contact Bilharz at sbilharz@jg-tc.com or 217-238-6839.
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