TEEEM.org Showcases Student Work Around the World in Bergen County

Did you know that students from NJ are helping impoverished people all over the world through TEEEM.org? Whether it's helping the Lakota Indians start an Etsy store to sell their handmade goods, creating a pen pal program for students in Uganda, or helping to build a community center in Ecuador, TEEEM provides a way for students to connect with, learn and help needy people around the globe.

Hundreds of student participants in TEEEM from all over NJ recently converged at "A Taste of TEEEM" at The Terrace at Biaggio's in Paramus. TEEEM.org (The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission) is a NJ-based non-profit dedicated to empowering students and communities globally. TEEEM is now accepting new schools into their program. There is no charge for schools to sign up and the program - which can include college credit curriculum - can be incorporated into a school in many ways, as a club as part of a course and more. Educators can contact [email protected] for information.

The evening showcased impactful projects by New Jersey schools currently in TEEEM's educational program and aimed to build awareness and encourage other schools and clubs -- in New Jersey and beyond -- to collaborate with TEEEM. Schools from Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Morris, and Middlesex counties presented their collaborative efforts with communities in ten countries, including the United States (South Dakota), Haiti, Ukraine, Ecuador, Peru, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.

TEEEM currently has 36 schools participating. Many schools showcased their work at "A Taste of TEEEM" including Bayonne High School, Briarcliff Middle School, Cliffside Park High School, Fair Lawn High School, Hackensack High School, Lyndhurst Middle School. Millburn High School, Montclair High School, Mount Olive High School, New Milford High School, Northern Highlands High School, Ramsey High School, Ridgewood Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, Riverview Elementary School, Roxbury High School, Stevens Cooperative, Jersey City & Hoboken, The Village School, Waldwick High School and Wardlaw+Hartridge School, Edison.

The event included exhibits and a presentation of scholarships and awards for the TEEEM studetns.as they learned about TEEEM's mission and the remarkable contributions of its student changemakers. Other highlights of how TEEEM is helping communities around the world, include:

• Burkina Faso: Building freshwater wells and supporting female empowerment programs to teach women how to fix and maintain the wells
• Cambodia: Aiding in constructing schools and developing educational programs for children in rural areas
• Ecuador: Building a community center for 150 families and planned future projects, including establishing reliable wifi infrastructure
• Haiti: Supporting young entrepreneurs in creating businesses through sustainable agriculture in Vallue
• Kenya: Strengthening educational programs and access to nutritional food, as well as facilitating virtual tutoring and cultural exchanges
• Peru: Providing interest-free microloans to families running cuy and quinoa farms and supporting medical clinics in High Andean villages
• South Dakota: Creating employment opportunities and supporting youth programs for the Lakota people on Pine Ridge Reservation, as well as establishing and sustaining the Okini Market.
• Uganda: Sponsoring an 8th grade class and facilitating an electronic pen pal and care package program

Taylor DeMaio, Vice President of TEEEM, highlighted the significance of the event, stating, "The event celebrated the hard work and efforts TEEEM students have put forth this school year and recognized the impact they've made on the world. From building freshwater wells to supporting war relief, providing children with an education to supplying communities with medical care and equipment, the projects our students have been engaged in are remarkable."

Jarret Schecter, Founder and President of TEEEM, emphasized the importance of empowering today's youth: "As the world becomes smaller, it becomes increasingly more vulnerable. And while 30% of the population is youth, 100% are the future. It only makes sense to give today’s students — tomorrow’s global decision-makers — an opportunity to help manage resources with an unprecedented return on social investment.”

The event successfully highlighted the global impact of TEEEM's student-driven projects and underscored the organization's mission to foster empathy, equality, and entrepreneurship among young people. For more information about TEEEM and its programs, please visit TEEEM.org.

About TEEEM
TEEEM (The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission) is a local nonprofit that teaches students about global issues, humanitarianism, and leadership through education and action. Our mission is to help create a better, kind world through our three Es: Empathy, Equality, and Social Entrepreneurship. We connect K-12 schools with an impoverished community of their choosing as they learn about issues being faced around the world. TEEEM can be infused into a club, class, or academy at any level (whatever the school prefers as a method of sustainable implementation). Students who choose to take part in our Social Entrepreneurship Program are then invited to complete a grant, where they have to propose a business plan for how they can use up to $500 to make their events and fundraisers a success.