Attention all Hawthorne High School students. There is a new club at HHS and it is definitely something all of you will want to join after hearing what The Clarion has to share.  

Club TEEEM Lakota, which was introduced to HHS by our new principal Mr. DeMaio, is sponsored by a non-profit organization called “The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission.” According to the Teeem.org website, this organization provides entrepreneurial opportunities for students to co-manage humanitarian organizations.Through TEEEM, schools receive funding, operational support and opportunities for collaboration with other schools and organizations. With TEEEM support, and under the advisorship of School Library Media Specialist Mrs. DiGeronimo, HHS will partner with the Native American Lakota Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

There is much that students can do to help the Native Americans who live on this reservation. The quality of life on the reservation is very low; the reservation has a school drop out rate of 70%, an 89% unemployment rate, and it is the poorest county in America.  TEEEM Lakota aims to address the needs of the young people living on this reservation.  By bringing this program to Hawthorne High School, there is a chance that our students can help make a difference.  With future fundraising and events, this could definitely be possible! 

Thankfully, The Clarion got an opportunity to discuss the club and what HHS students will be able to accomplish to help the tribe, in an interview with Mrs. DiGeronimo.  

“This year is going to focus on getting organized,” she said, “learning about the TEEEM concept and the Lakotas. We’ll brainstorm fundraising ideas and educational activities, then set our goals for putting these ideas into action next school year when we hope to actually visit the reservation in South Dakota.” 

Mrs. DiGeronimo explained that she is also learning about TEEEM Lakota, and the natives on Pine Ridge along with the rest of us, “I did not know much at all about the Lakota Tribe or the Pine Ridge Reservation, and I still have so much to learn. That’s why the initial goal of our meetings right now is to fill in the missing information and get to know these Native Americans and their culture and their needs.”  

Now, do not think that this is a small group of us a part of TEEEM Lakota at HHS; so far there are a total of 42 participants, which does not surprise Mrs. DiGeronimo, “I am not surprised that this many students from Hawthorne want to reach out to help others. We have big hearts here in Bear Country.”  

We definitely do have big hearts here at HHS, between our students, and faculty members like Mrs. DiGeronimo, and our principal Mr. DeMaio who helped bring this program to our school!  And we would love to welcome more of our student body to join. The club is open to our juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.  Club TEEEM is looking forward to fundraising/event planning, and they hope to see more friendly faces at their online meetings! If you would like more information, contact Mrs. DiGeronimo at [email protected].