Alton Students Learn Entrepreneurship Skills Through Riverbend CEO Program

ALTON - Students throughout the Alton community had the opportunity to present their business plans to bankers.

Every year, students from Alton High School and surrounding schools participate in the Riverbend CEO program, which teaches them about entrepreneurship. As a culmination of the program, students develop their own business plan, and, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, they presented this plan to bankers to receive funding.

“It's not a class. It is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn about our community, learn about area businesses, learn from professionals in the area,” explained Casey Hamburg, who facilitates the program.

Students apply to the Riverbend CEO program during their junior year. They must include references and are hand-picked from a large pool. To kick off their senior year, they visit area businesses and talk to local business owners about their work.

Throughout the year, the CEO students plan and host fundraisers to fund their own businesses. They create a business plan and develop their ideas, which they then presented on March 18, 2026, during CEO Banker’s Day.

Local bankers gathered at Alton High School to listen to the students’ plans and grade them on a 100-point scale. Their grades determine the percentage of money that the bankers would theoretically loan them.

“It's definitely life skills that are being taught,” Hamburg said. “This is the accumulation of the whole year, and it's a huge day for these entrepreneurs. We thank the bankers that are coming because they're real bankers from real institutions here in the area. It's real life. So these kids are getting real-life experience through this opportunity.”

Mike Bellm, Director of Student Services at Alton High School, echoed Hamburg. He expressed his appreciation for the business owners and bankers who contribute to the CEO program every year.

“It’s a big credit to the Alton community and the business owners,” he said. “They are more than welcoming, not only to give some guidance to our students — and a lot of them serve as mentors — but also to open their doors and show them behind the scenes all the work that goes into running a business.”

The CEO program will end with the annual trade show on April 16, where students can present information about their new businesses. Hamburg noted that some students choose to finish their work that night, while others will continue operating the business for years. There have been a few CEO students who created profitable businesses that are still alive today.

The goal of the Riverbend CEO program is to teach kids the life skills they need to be entrepreneurs. At Alton High School, this program is also offered as a dual-credit class through Lewis and Clark Community College, so students receive college credit as well. Bellm believes the CEO program is a great benefit to committed students who want to engage with their education on a new level.

“It's exciting,” he said. “It's for students who want more than to just sit in a seat for an hour and sit and get. They’re on their feet. They're meeting business owners. They're putting together their own business plans. It's a really great program for them to get out into the community and experience some success.”

Hamburg added that the CEO program is also a great networking opportunity, as students connect with people in the community and learn more about the Riverbend region. While it’s a lot of hard work and commitment, Hamburg and Bellm agree the program is a great benefit to students.

Juniors at local high schools can apply today at the official Riverbend CEO program website. Check out the official Riverbend CEO Facebook page to learn more.

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