Students
Reece Bell
Who am I?
Reece is a junior at Charleston High School who enjoys playing sports and interacting with people.
Why am I in ClassE?
Coming from a family of small business entrepreneurs, he wanted to join the class to see what it took to make it on your own. So far in the class he has learned a lot, such as how to speak to all kinds of people, presentation skills, and how to start a business. His favorite parts of the class are the tours and speakers. He enjoys being able to interact with real business owners and hearing their real life stories of successes and failures.
My College Plans
His future plans are undecided but he plans to attend college.
My Business
His business is Mothers Teen Nights at his parent’s establishment.
Nick Braden
Who am I?
Nick Braden is a junior at Charleston High School.
Why am I in ClassE?
He says that the most important thing that he has learned from the class is the valuable ability of public speaking. Giving presentations is an important part of the business world, and with this class he has learned how to do that much better.
My College Plans
He doesn’t know where he wants to go for college yet, but he wants to major in something agricultural.
My Business
His business that he started through the class is called Nix. Nix is an eBay store in which he sells anything and everything that people will buy. He obtains products from either family members or people with unwanted items they’re willing to sell and get rid of for cheap. Then if they seem valuable enough to sell for a profit online, then they go in the store.
Luke Collings
Who am I?
Luke Collings is a junior at Mattoon High School. Luke’s mentor is Don Davis, CFO of Rural King.
Why am I in ClassE?
He joined this class because he wanted to pursue his interest in business and expand his entrepreneurial knowledge. Luke has learned through this class that nothing in life will come easy, but with hard work and tenacity, anything in life is within reach.
My College Plans
Luke plans to attend Florida State University to major in Business Administration or Kinesiology.
My Business
His business is “Be Ready Survival Kits” and is partners with fellow classmate Ryan Rappe.
Aaron Cunningham
Who am I?
Senior, Charleston High School
Why am I in ClassE?
Aaron joined ClassE to get perspective on the county and learn more about how business works. His favorite part of the class were the visits to business, some of which he had never heard of before. The new experiences are always interesting to him.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
Cunningham Record Keeping
Heidi Dague
Who am I?
Heidi Dague Senior, Oakland High School
Heidi participates in volleyball, dance team, National Honor Society, and Art Club.
Why am I in ClassE?
She joined the Coles County Entrepreneurship because she wanted to learn all aspects of starting and running a business. Also, she wanted to learn how to communicate in any situation. ClassE has taught her how to handle different scenarios in the real business world.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
She was a member of the Keep it ClassE Dance Party group business. She is the owner of Crafts by Design. Crafts by Design is the production of individualized homemade arm-knitted scarfs.
Gunner Davis
Who am I?
Senior, Mattoon High School
Gunner Davis is interested in sports such as football and tennis. He also likes to run and in general, be outside.
Why am I in ClassE?
ClassE has helped Gunner get his name out in Coles County and helped him with his team building and professionalism skills.
My College Plans
After high school he will be attending Indiana State University on a full-tuition scholarship through the Networks Business Program majoring in Business Administration.
My Business
He has created an umpiring service called Balls&Strikes so he can continue to work outside.
Jed Donaldson
Who am I?
Jed is a junior at Mattoon High School where he is a member of NHS and the Cross Country and Track teams.
Why am I in ClassE?
Jed participated in the class to learn more about Business and Administration. He has learned more about the business world and that nothing comes easy. You really have to work to get what you want.
My College Plans
Jed plans on attending Kansas University and getting his major in geology.
My Business
His business is JD Recycle. He will come get your scrap metal for a small fee and take the metal in and scrap it at the metal yard. He was a member of the lawn care group.
Drew Eastin
Who am I?
Junior, Mattoon High School
Drew enjoys going to his farm outside of Oakland. He also enjoys riding his bike in races all across Illinois.
Why am I in ClassE?
This class has opened his eyes to new things in the business world and he hopes to use his new skills in every day life.
My College Plans
He plans to go to college at EIU to get a business Degree and move out of the state to start his own business.
My Business
His Business is a Paracord Braiding Business that is called Back Country Supply. Drew plans to continue this business after the class and even into college.
Sydney Jackson
Who am I?
Junior, Mattoon High School
One thing the class has taught her is to be comfortable talking to all sorts of people.
Why am I in ClassE?
Sydney is a junior at Mattoon High School and joined ClassE because she wanted to learn more about what it takes to start a business.
My College Plans
In the fall of 2016, she plans on attending the University of Illinois, and majoring in business marketing.
My Business
Her individual business is Sydney’s Dog Walking Service, through which she walks and house sits pets.
Cole Keller
Who am I?
Junior, Charleston High School
Cole is a junior at Charleston High School. Cole works at Monicals and likes to make money. He also works for the late Al Krigemeitet and Chris Walden selling lemon Shakeups and two other products. Cole runs cross-country and track on the side, is Vice President of student council, and attendee of lead national conference.
Why am I in ClassE?
He joined ClassE because he thought it would be fun to manage a small or big business and learn how to make money. The main thing he liked about ClassE was being able to meet and interact with people around the community.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
A Walk
Luke Nash
Who am I?
Luke Nash is a senior at Oakland High School. He plays football, basketball, and track, and will participate in the Spring Musical as well. His mentor is Terry Reel of First Federal Savings and Loan in Mattoon.
Why am I in ClassE?
He joined ClassE because he thought it would teach him how to build the connections necessary to be a successful small business owner. So far, he has learned that appearing professional is important if you want to be taken seriously, and that you absolutely have to work with good people if you want to succeed.
My College Plans
He plans to attend Trinity International University to study business/marketing and enter the Chicago Bulls internship program.
My Business
He led the garage cleanup business ClassE Cleaners. His own individual business is SafeRock Head and Toe, which specializes in bucket hat sales.
Charles Osley
Who am I?
Junior, at Mattoon High School
He enjoys a variety of sports, volunteering in the community and his school, and sleeping.
Why am I in ClassE?
Charles joined the class because he wanted to learn more about business and entrepreneurship. Charles liked that the class toured a variety of businesses throughout the county. He feels that he has learned more about customer service and marketing by taking this class.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
Charles was involved in the ClassE Cleaners group business and has started his own event planning business called Starfire.
Ryan Rappe
Who am I?
Ryan is a junior at Mattoon High School.
Why am I in ClassE?
He says, “ClassE is a great experience for young entrepreneurs to learn by doing it in a controlled environment.” His favorite part of class is the tours because there are so many things to learn and connections to make from the people that have already been there and done that.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
His individual business is a partnership with Luke Collings for Be Ready emergency and survival kits. Ryan participated in the yard care group business.
Hayden Strader
Who am I?
Senior, Oakland High School
Why am I in ClassE?
Hayden joined the class because he has always thought about starting his own business and ClassE seemed like a great place to start. His brother had been in the first year of the class. He told Hayden a lot about what they did and he became very interested. Hayden enjoys class because it gives you a great opportunity to meet business officials from all across the county. He finds his education is enhanced because of the hands-on learning.
My College Plans
No information provided.
My Business
Hayden’s business is WooTag. It is a media company that makes promotional videos for small businesses and organizations. It is also a comedic YouTube Channel. www.YouTube.com/WooTagProductions
Mikaela Williams
Who am I?
Junior, Mattoon High School
Why am I in ClassE?
She has taken this class to learn the ins and outs of the business world and get a feel for what it takes to start her own business.
My College Plans
Mikaela is a junior at Mattoon High school and plans to graduate and go to college at the University of Illinois to major in Engineering.
My Business
For the class, she has partnered with Brooke Wilson to start Besties’ Bakery, which is a bakery delivery service that offers freshly baked goods to the community of Coles County.
Brooke Wilson
Who am I?
Junior, Mattoon Charleston
Why am I in ClassE?
Brooke is a junior at Mattoon High School, and joined the class because she likes the idea of being her own boss; she works for no one. She appreciates all of the connections she has received through tours all over Coles County. It is also important to her that women rise in business administration.
My College Plans
Her future goals include going to Purdue and owning her own tattoo/ beauty parlor.
My Business
Both Brooke and her best friend, Mikaela Williams, own a delivery bakery business called Besties’ Bakery.