Apr. 12—The culmination of a year of work for a business education program is set for this weekend in Washington. The Daviess County CEO Tradeshow is set for this Sunday at the Eastside Park Community Building.

“It is a little earlier this year because of the kids’ schedules,” said CEO Facilitator Joe Cummings. “They wanted to stay on Sunday because it has worked better in the past.”

Midland Institutes, the overseer of CEO programs across the country, gave its approval to the early trade show.

“They wanted to make sure we keep the kids engaged after the show, and with this bunch of students I am certain that will not be a problem,” said Cummings. “It is a big event. That have been planning for it all year. If we have half the turn-out we had last year it will be a good event.”

The trade show is a chance for the students to show the public their ideas for a small business. Each of the 16 student’s projects are things they built from the beginning idea up to the finished product or service.

“They have put together business plans and put together start-up funds through the CEO program and money they have raised,” said Cummings. “For some of them this is a one-day thing, but a lot of kids will work the business through college. Of the 16 businesses they are operating, 12 are retail and four are service businesses.”

The students are offering a T-shirt business, specialized hats, grave saddles, cookie, ice cream, doughnuts, drone photography, furniture restoration and more.

“We have a wide array of items,” said Cummings. “I am excited for them.”

The CEO program has been very busy with students since its inception. This year’s class has 16 students. The class last year had 20 and the incoming class includes 24 students from schools all over the county.

“We hope to see a lot of people at the community building to support the kids, and that they might find some items they want to buy,” said Cummings.

The CEO Trade Show is Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the community building at the Washington Eastside Park.