As of last year, a new club/organization was introduced to HHS called TEEEM which stands for The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission.

This club in collaboration with Pascack Valley High School and New Milford High School is dedicated to helping the Native American community at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. To help this cause the club needed to come up with big ideas, not something like a bake sale or a car wash, but something even bigger.

So the club decided to do a benefit concert headlined by Almost Queen. Almost Queen is a band that according to their website is “the most authentic QUEEN tribute show since the days of QUEEN themselves.”

And opening acts:

• We Mcdonald
• Carrington Zane Sklar
• Miles Hardamon
• Jason Recht Trio 

The benefit concert was held on Sunday, May 15, 2022 in Van Neste Square, Downtown Ridgewood from 12 pm-7:30 pm. The concert also had food trucks, face painting, beverage gardens, and more!  

I was able to speak with TEEEM advisor Ms.Selimovic about this concert and the club TEEEM

• The Clarion: A benefit concert is such a creative and unique idea. How did you come up with this idea and find someone to perform in it?

 Ms.Selimovic: TEEEM is a larger organization that is always thinking of wonderful and unique ideas to raise awareness and money for the organization. 

• The Clarion: How were you able to get a popular band like Almost Queen to perform and why?

 Ms.Selimovic: – Almost Queen has a good relationship with one of the TEEEM’s leaders and is always willing to help such a great cause! TEEEM chose Almost Queen to appeal to their audience! They are quite popular among TEEEM members and fans.

• The Clarion: In terms of ideas and fundraising are there any ideas for next year?

 Ms.Selimovic: Within our HHS pod, we are going to plan various fundraisers to raise money for the Pine Ridge Reservation and their Native American community and also our club as a whole to make it possible for HHS’s TEEEM members to visit South Dakota next year! There will be some bake sales, apparel sales, and district-wide events hosted by TEEEM.

• The Clarion: How much money was raised?

 Ms.Selimovic: Over $30,000 was raised from the concert alone! The proceeds went to the TEEEM organization.

• The Clarion: Why should more people join The Lakota Project?

 Ms.Selimovic: To bring awareness to the Native American communities around North America and also learn important skills such as Empathy, Equality, and Entrepreneurship (the 3 E’s in TEEEM). Skills learned in this club will be imperative in everyone’s future. Members also get a chance to visit their sites (South Dakota for example)!

Congratulations to TEEEM for a successful fundraiser and let’s hope there are more amazing and successful ones next year!