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Tickets are now available for the Mower CEO Program’s annual fundraising program coming in March.

This year’s program will be from 4-8 p.m. on March 5 at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center featuring  Black & Whyte Dueling Pianos. There will also be a silent auction and dinner included in the night.

“The purpose of this event is to help fund our personal businesses,” said Nora Tweeten, one of this year’s program. “Through the program we go and meet with all of these businesses and then as a class, all 22 of us work together and put together a class business.”

The March event is one of three big events for students throughout the year, culminating in the Trade Show coming this spring where students will showcase their personal businesses.

Tweeten’s business is Better Said Greeting Cards Company, while Rose Garry is creating Translucent, which is a book made by students in Austin revolving around identity and how the people around you make an impact. When completed it will include poetry, paintings, illustrations, collages, short stories.

It’s been an eye-opening experience.

“Just learning about all the connections we have in Austin — any passion you have, anything you want to explore, we have something to offer and people are here support you,” Garry said.

In bringing together this show, students learned how far personal and individual experiences can take them.

“Everyone working on their own personal business, they’ve all had different experiences with where they are at,” Garry said. “I think that knowledge they bring to the table and everything they are learning really helps our class business as well.”

From the start of the school year to the end, Austin and Pacelli students taking part in the CEO program learn the ins and outs of business while in the process of creating their own businesses.

For many, this ends not only with their own business, but a drive to further pursue it after graduating high school.

“It literally has changed my life,” Tweeten said. “I’m going to major in business because of this. It helps to literally shape our future.”

Tickets the March 5 event are $65 for a single seat or $480 for a table of eight.

For more information and order tickets, visit: www.mowercountyceo.com/ They can also be found on Facebook and Tik Tok.