Carroll County High School junior Cesar Gomez Castillo is stepping into the world of innovation and enterprise this summer as one of the select students accepted into the prestigious Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE)—a competitive program that brings together Kentucky’s brightest young minds to develop business ideas, pitch solutions, and build companies from scratch.
For Cesar, the journey to GSE began with family.
“My brother did it last year, and my parents really encouraged me to apply,” he said. “At first, I didn’t even know what it was. I remember watching him present his company idea at the end of the program, and that stuck with me. He told me it taught him so much about entrepreneurship, and I started getting more interested.”
Encouraged by his brother, his mom, and his business teacher, Dr. Tim Burgoyne, Cesar decided to take the leap. Applying meant stepping out of his comfort zone—especially when it came to recording a 90-second video sharing his interest in entrepreneurship.
Cesar’s growing interest is being shaped daily in the business and management program at the Carroll County Area Technology Center. Currently focused on entrepreneurship, the course challenges students to develop business plans, design marketing strategies, and understand financial projections.
“We’re actually creating our own two-year business plans right now,” he said. “I’m working on a cologne business idea. We have to figure out how to make money, target the right audience, and present our idea in just three minutes to a panel. It’s really preparing me for GSE.”
Burgoyne said, “I'm incredibly proud of Cesar for being accepted into such a unique and prestigious program! Their hard work and dedication to make the most out of school truly set them apart, and I have no doubt they’ll make the most of this amazing opportunity.”
At GSE—hosted this year at the University of Kentucky—Cesar expects to collaborate with a team based on skill strengths, like communication, and build a startup idea from the ground up. He’s both excited and a little nervous about pitching the final product on stage.
“My brother said it’s not like regular classes—it’s more like research and real-life projects,” Cesar said.
That friendly sibling rivalry fuels Cesar’s ambition to one day build a business with his brother.
“Our mom and uncle have always pushed us to think like business owners,” Cesar said. “She used to have us sell popsicles at the park. I was nervous, but my brother would be out there doing it. That inspired me. And my mom doesn’t want us to grow up doing hard labor like my dad—she wants more for us.”
GSE will be June 22-July 13 at the University of Kentucky.
“Congratulations to Caesar for this achievement. GSE is a highly selective process and certainly an example of our students Empowering Integrity and Engaging Community,” Carroll County Schools Superintendent Casey Jaynes said.