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The Land of Lincoln CEO program hosted
its annual trade show Wednesday, April 29. This year, there were
three students in the program.
It is the eleventh year of the program. In the past ten years, 95
students from seven area schools have gone through the program.
There are 45 active investors and 12 board members.
As the LLCEO annual report says, “CEO teaches young students
critical lessons of becoming not only entrepreneurs but also life
lessons to take any path they choose.” Students spend their mornings
at area businesses learning “essential skills from business owners
and community leaders” and get real world experience.
During the year, each student created two businesses with support
from a mentor.
The students began the trade show with
a ribbon cutting hosted by Lincoln Daily News. The students were
joined behind the ribbon by LLCEO board chairperson Michelle Bauer,
CEO facilitator Lisa Kuhlman and LLCEO board members Kelsi Edwards,
Ariana Spencer, Robert Puckett, Colleen Roate and John Robinson.
Front and center were 2026 LLCEO students Dani Dueringer, Dray’den
Neal and Luca Massena. The ribbon was held by LLCEO board member
Rachael Judd and Lincoln Daily News’ Karen Castelein.
LDN’s Nila Smith welcomed the 2026 LLCEO students telling them about
ribbon cuts, which she said are free advertising and gives them the
chance to be noticed by community leaders. Smith said when the
students visited LDN to learn about the news business, she was
impressed by their comments and questions.
Bauer congratulated the students, who
she said were challenged by a change in leadership mid-year. Bauer
said she was excited to have the LLCEO board members, family members
and businesses there to support the students and thanked them all
for coming. She was impressed with the students’ commitment to
getting up early all year.
In her letter to the students in the annual report Bauer called them
“a small but mighty class.” She said, “I’m so proud of the
resilience of our students, board members, investors and everyone
involved.”
After Smith had everyone count down from three, the students cut the
ribbon.
At 5 p.m. the event was open to the public and the students spent
the next hours talking about their products and services and selling
them to those who were interested.
Dray’den Neal is a junior at Lincoln
Community High School who plans to major in either Business Econ or
Graphic Design in college. He is a wrestling team captain and
football player who plays varsity for both sports.
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Neal’s business is Simply YOUnique, a
specialized gifting service. Neal makes personalized candy baskets
and specialty themed gifts for Mother’s day, graduation or almost
any occasion. He also does laser engravings on metal and wood, which
“can be a quote, funny joke, a memoir, [or] really anything you want
as long as it’s appropriate.”
Luca Massena is a junior at Lincoln
Community High School who plans to major in Business. He plays
varsity soccer and enjoys video games, swimming and skiing.
Massena’s business is Curb Care, whose slogan is “forget the trash,
we’ve got it. Trash bins from curb to back.” Massena will take
garbage cans out of people’s garages to the curb and put them back
in place the next day. In the future, Massena hopes to power wash
and deodorize the cans to keep out odor and critters. He plans to
continue running this business and have an employee or two to help
Dani Dueringer is a junior at
Hartsburg-Emden High School with dual enrollment at Heartland
Community College. She plays volleyball and softball and serves as
treasurer for the school’s FFA chapter.
Dueringer’s business is Pricked and Protected Tattoo and Piercing
Aftercare and she sells kits for tattoo and piercing aftercare. For
mouth piercings, Dueringer sells mouth rinse and for ear piercings,
she sells saline spray. For tattoo aftercare, she sells moisturizer,
exfoliants, lotions and sunscreen. Dueringer has also created a
website where she sells her products and provides information on how
to take proper care of your piercings and tattoos.
Before the trade show began, three of next year’s LLCEO students
signed up for the program. Students signing up for the 2026-2027
school year were Reece Entwistle, Charlotte Judd, Cooper Freitag and
Dylan Gordon. Lisa Kuhlman will continue as facilitator.
To learn more about the Land of Lincoln CEO program, visit
llceo.com.
[Angela Reiners]
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