2025 𝓔𝓓𝓦𝓐𝓡𝓓𝓢𝓥𝓘𝓛𝓛𝓔 𝓒𝓔𝓞 𝓕𝓘𝓢𝓗 𝓣𝓐𝓝𝓚 – 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓪 𝔀𝓻𝓪𝓹!
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Since August, CEO students have been developing an individual business venture, a side hustle that they could launch during their senior year of high school. This morning, each of our students presented a 3-minute pitch deck to an incredible panel of community judges.

Not only did they demonstrate business knowledge of their problem, solution, customers, target market, competitive advantages, potential value, and potential prize use…they endured a 2-minute Q & A session with our “sharks” and absolutely NAILED IT!
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We are thrilled to announce the top candidates scored by our judges…drum roll please…
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🥇1𝓢𝓣 𝓟𝓛𝓐𝓒𝓔 ($300)
Tyler Rudd | Triple Threat Training | EHS

🥈2𝓝𝓓 𝓟𝓛𝓐𝓒𝓔 ($200)
Veda Kommineni | No Pulp Left Behind | EHS

🥉3𝓡𝓓 𝓟𝓛𝓐𝓒𝓔 ($100)
Whitney Rosenberger | Bonnie's Bites | EHS
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This year, we had several additional categories to spotlight incredible presentations. Congratulations to the students below for being awarded the following categories by their judges and peers:

🏆#𝑯𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 | Quinn Zurliene | Suds & Surfaces | EHS
🏆#𝑴𝒐𝒔𝒕𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒚𝑻𝒐𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 | Lillian Pope | Luminous Beauty | EHS
🏆#𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒕𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑷𝑬𝑵 | Gavin Holtgrave | Top View Drone Photography | EHS
🏆#𝑪𝑬𝑶𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 (Peer elected!) | Sophia Windorff | Heart of the Home | FMCHS
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𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒:
This event would not have been possible without our incredible panel of judges:

👏 Adam Walters | President/CEO BloxByte Games | Edwardsville CEO Class of 2019!!!
👏 Ann Tosovsky | President | Home Nursery, Inc.
👏 Dr. Mario Hayek | Dean, SIUE School of Business
👏 Matt McSparin | President/CEO | Edison's Entertainment Complex
👏 Jo Ann Di Maggio May | Director | Jo Ann May SIUE SBDC
👏 Matt Pfund | Owner | Pfund Construction
👏 Senator Jason Plummer | IL State Senator & VP of R.P. Lumber Company
👏 Steve Cooper | Division President | First Mid Bank & Trust
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A big thank you to the SIUE School of Business and SBDC for sponsoring the event for the 7th year in a row!
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Shoutout to Revity Credit Union for sponsoring the prizes for the fabulous BONUS CATEGORIES and for being our official time keepers for the event (Lacy Able – we’re lookin’ at you, rockstar!)
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Hats off to our fantastic EMCEE, Marc Voegele. Thank you for keeping us on track and on time!
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A big thank you to Matt McSparin & Edison's Entertainment Complex for providing the great venue, food and (as always) amazing service!
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Finally, today's event would not have been possible without our 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆, 𝑫𝒐𝒖𝒈 𝑽𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅, for teaching students how to craft the “perfect pitch” and for all of his entrepreneurial advice! Doug, you have given these students an incredible gift!!
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To each of our young entrepreneurs...bravo. You've made your community proud!

They've planned...they've pitched...get ready to watch them LAUNCH their businesses at our 2025 Edwardsville CEO Trade Show on Sunday, May 4th at The Ink House. Follow our FB and Instagram for event details to be posted soon!

Edwardsville High School - Father McGivney Catholic High School - Metro-East Lutheran High School