The harsh fluorescent lights of a typical high school classroom couldn’t feel further away as I watch a group of Des Moines high school students confidently pitch their business ideas to a panel of local executives. These aren’t hypothetical exercises—they’re real businesses with real stakes, developed through an innovative entrepreneurship program that’s reshaping how we think about business education for the next generation.
Des Moines County’s Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program represents a bold reimagining of high school business education—one that takes students out of textbooks and places them directly into the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Set to expand significantly in 2025, the program has already demonstrated remarkable success in transforming how students approach their futures and how communities invest in developing local talent.
“What makes this program revolutionary is that it’s not simulation-based—students are building actual businesses with seed funding and community support,” explains Maria Rodriguez, education director at the Iowa Economic Development Authority. “The 2025 expansion will increase participant capacity by 40% and introduce advanced mentorship tracks in technology and sustainability ventures.”
The CEO program operates unlike traditional classroom experiences. Students meet daily at local businesses rather than school buildings, rotating through different companies to absorb varied organizational cultures and operational models. This immersion provides something textbooks simply cannot: authentic exposure to the rhythms, challenges, and unexpected pivots of entrepreneurial life.
During my visit to the program last month, I spoke with Jayden Williams, a senior participant whose custom apparel business has already generated over $5,000 in revenue. “Before CEO, I thought entrepreneurship was something that happened elsewhere, by other types of people,” Williams told me while showing me his latest designs. “Now I realize it’s a mindset anyone can develop with the right guidance and community backing.”
The program’s success hinges on its deep community integration. Each participating student receives mentorship from established business owners, access to micro-loans, and opportunities to present at community events. Perhaps most valuably, they develop networks that typically wouldn’t be accessible until well into a professional career.
According to data from the National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, graduates of similar programs are three times more likely to start businesses later in life and report higher career satisfaction regardless of whether they pursue entrepreneurship or traditional employment. They also demonstrate stronger financial literacy and problem-solving abilities compared to peers in conventional business education tracks.
Des Moines County Administrator Julie Heiderscheit notes that the program addresses multiple community needs simultaneously: “We’re seeing talented young people leave for opportunities elsewhere. By fostering entrepreneurial capability early, we’re investing in both individual futures and community sustainability.”
The 2025 expansion will introduce several enhancements based on feedback from the pilot cohorts. These include specialized tracks in technology ventures, social entrepreneurship, and rural business development—acknowledging the diverse economic landscape of Iowa and varying student interests.
The program isn’t without challenges. The unconventional structure requires significant scheduling flexibility from schools, and some educators initially expressed concern about students missing traditional classroom time. However, results have largely quieted these concerns. Program graduates demonstrate improved performance in standard academic metrics, likely due to seeing clear real-world applications for their learning.
“When students understand why calculus matters to pricing strategy or how persuasive writing directly impacts marketing success, their engagement with traditional subjects often improves dramatically,” explains Dr. Melissa Chen, who has studied entrepreneurship education outcomes at the University of Iowa.
For communities considering similar initiatives, the Des Moines model offers valuable lessons. Chief among them is the importance of genuine business community buy-in. The program succeeds because local entrepreneurs commit real time and resources rather than token appearances. These relationships often extend beyond the program duration, creating sustainable mentorship connections.
As applications for the 2025 cohort open next month, program coordinators anticipate record interest. “We’re looking beyond traditional metrics like GPA,” says program director Thomas Jackson. “We want students with curiosity, resilience, and community awareness—qualities that predict entrepreneurial success but don’t always shine in conventional academic settings.”
What makes the Des Moines approach particularly noteworthy is its accessibility. Unlike entrepreneurship programs that cater exclusively to high-achieving students, this initiative intentionally creates diverse cohorts representing different academic backgrounds, socioeconomic circumstances, and personal interests.
As education systems nationwide struggle to prepare students for an increasingly unpredictable future economy, the Des Moines entrepreneurship program offers a compelling blueprint: authentic experiences, community partnership, and the belief that entrepreneurial thinking benefits all students, not just future business founders.
When I ask students what they value most about the program, their answers rarely focus on business mechanics. Instead, they mention confidence, adaptability, and seeing their community through new eyes. Perhaps that’s the program’s most significant achievement—teaching young people not just how to build businesses, but how to build themselves.
