Through Belleville CEO, I have grown into a leader, a critical thinker, and a problem solver. I started the year on a nursing path, but CEO helped me discover my passion for entrepreneurship. Now, I’m attending Missouri State to major in Business Management. This program made me more driven, confident, and connected to my peers. I talk to more people at school, and I have built friendships I never expected. Throughout the year, I developed many skills—leadership, collaboration, pitching, marketing, and professionalism—but the skill I’m most proud of is confidence. Confidence allows you to open doors, reach out to people, and build opportunities for yourself and your business. One of the biggest challenges I faced was a major issue with the shirts for our 5K event. Days before the event, the shirts still hadn’t been ordered. In a panic, I placed the order myself, negotiated a discount, and made sure we were ready. It taught me to always check in on every task and be proactive when problems arise. CEO showed me how to work with different personalities, solve conflicts professionally, and to never burn bridges. Before CEO, I looked for reasons why something might not work. Now, I look for opportunities and solutions. I see potential businesses everywhere, and I approach life with a much more entrepreneurial mindset. I am proud of my leadership, my effort, and my participation in the local pitch competition. I’m also proud of ideas like the extra credit incentive, which helped bring in more participants for our 5K. Belleville CEO changed my future. Without it, I would never have realized how much I love business. It made my senior year unforgettable and gave me lifelong friends like Sophia and Eleanor. I’m so thankful for everyone who walked this journey with me. If I had one piece of advice for the next class, it would be: take the early session if you can, don’t count yourself out for leadership, and just go for it—you might surprise yourself.