East Orange students learning empathy and social entrepreneurship with TEEEM

New Jersey-based nonprofit TEEEM, which stands for The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission, aims to inspire humanitarianism in schools.

TEEEM’s free educational programs and curriculum educate youth on global issues and humanitarianism. This includes six East Orange schools: Benjamin Banneker Academy, Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School of the Performing and Fine Arts, East Orange STEM Academy, Sheila Y. Oliver Academy, Sojourner Truth Middle School, and Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts.

Empathy and Social Entrepreneurship classes and clubs are being added to 27 United States schools in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

“We strive to create a better, kinder world,” said Taylor DeMaio, executive vice president of TEEEM.

DeMaio has been onboard with TEEEM for four years and has previously worked as a teacher for eight years. She explained that TEEEM provides students with unique opportunities to speak with communities in need. TEEEM provides the resources and everything students need to succeed in the program.

“So many schools see our value,” said DeMaio. “We went from six schools, to 10, to 20, now over 60. That’s an indicator that our value for schools is very notable. Not only is it a great opportunity for students, it aligns with my personal values—breaking out of the comfort zone, traveling, and doing so with a purpose, making an impact. With TEEEM’s kindergarten to grade 12 curricula, the students, from the young ages up to high school will be exposed to this type of learning.”

Over the summer TEEEM met with the East Orange school teachers via ZOOM. They discussed what the classes currently looked like and how they might by enhanced with TEEEM. “The response was very positive, from new teachers to veteran teachers,” said DeMaio. “We’re now reaching in the thousands of students in New Jersey and beyond. The kids are responding really well and doing tremendous work to help communities all over the world.”

Jarrett Schecter is the founder of TEEEM. He started TEEEM in 2018 in northern New Jersey. Schecter was a photographer for over 20 years and saw a lot of the world.

“I saw cultures, communities that were definitely poor,” he said. “I wanted to do more. You sense a lot of things and want to do something about them. On a bigger scale, it’s important to listen to the community. What can we do to listen to the community and provide for their needs? How can we act together to create a better type of world? It’s so important in these times to give young people an opportunity to engage with difference and diversity. It expands their world. It would be great if the world goes in that direction.”

Schecter explained that TEEEM is a free service.

“Schools don’t have to pay anything,” he said. “It’s all at their pace.”

To learn more about TEEEM, visit: https://www.teeem.org/

  east orange, TEEEM