About Gateway CEO
Our
Story
CEO is a privately funded year-long course designed to utilize partnerships that provide an overview of business development and processes. Our local business community partners with area schools to create project-based experiences for students by providing funding, expertise, meeting space, business tours, and one-on-one mentoring. Students visit area businesses, learn from guest speakers, participate in class business, write business plans, and start and operate their own businesses. Business concepts learned through the experimental CEO class are critical; the 21st-century skills of problem-solving, teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility, high-order thinking, communication, and inquiry are at the heart of a student's development throughout the course.
What this means:
Students in Gateway CEO are a step ahead of the rest. Waking up early and getting to learn life skills from local business owners are great parts of the class, but the most impactful thing is the real-world experience that Gateway CEO provides. Being able to have conversations with and present to other business professionals allows us to speak clearly and confidently with anyone. Getting to start our own personal business as a class first semester allows us to understand the problems that arise while starting a business and learn strategies to overcome them. Finally, working with a mentor on our personal business helps us to fine tune the impact we are trying to create and the marketing strategies to achieve that impact. CEO gives us the experience to succeed in the business world.