Pictured from left after the Shark Tank event on March 5 are, from left, Ilan Salama, Rohaan Meta, Carlos Perez and Joshua Montague.
WEST ORANGE — West Orange High School students in The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission (TEEEM) have been making strides to raise funds for life-changing projects in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
TEEEM is a nonprofit providing K–12 schools and universities with free resources that equip students with real skills to make a real impact through its Social Entrepreneurship and Empathy Programs. By connecting schools with under-resourced communities worldwide, students gain hands-on experience in leadership and global citizenship while tackling challenges such as education access, healthcare, and gender equity.
TEEEM currently partners with more than 120 schools throughout the U.S. and Canada, reaching more than 3,000 students and supporting communities in ten countries: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ecuador, Haiti, Kenya, Peru, Uganda, Ukraine, and the United States in West Virginia and South Dakota.
On March 5, Rohaan Mehta, Joshua Montague, and Ilan Salama represented West Orange in a first-of-its-kind “Shark Tank” fundraising event created by TEEEM, pitching their idea to expand the second West Orange High School World Cup Tournament to be held May 29 on Lincoln Field at WOHS.
Last year, the event raised over $800 for TECHO (Un Techo para mi País), a nonprofit organization that mobilizes youth volunteers to fight extreme poverty in Latin America, by constructing transitional housing and implementing social inclusion programs. TEEEM and TECHO work together to achieve these goals.
West Orange came away with the “Top Funded Team” title, impressing local business leaders with their plans to expand their “World Cup Soccer Tournament,” and capitalizing on the high-energy interest in the upcoming international World Cup to be held June 11 – July 19, 2026. The $1,300 raised by West Orange will be used to build a community center in Ecuador.
The funding was provided by TEEEM as seed money for the Sharks to allocate during the competition. In addition, participants had the option to contribute their own funds.
Each Shark also committed to providing at least one hour of mentorship. The Sharks who chose to support TEEEM West Orange included:
Four Fair Lawn businesses: NextHome New Beginnings, Intelligenz Business, Benefit Quest, and Happy Cat Hotel & Spa Three Ramsey businesses: Sir Junk, Income & Asset Advisory, and the Ramsey Farmers Market.
Their pitch combined strong storytelling with a clear execution plan, highlighting both the needs in Latin America and the local opportunity to bring people together as they outlined plans for a school-wide tournament featuring student teams representing countries from around the world. In addition, a carnival-style atmosphere including games and activities to drive attendance and fundraising would be in play.
The West Orange students’ “ask” was $2,160: $960 to cover player jerseys and $1,200 for a bounce house and carnival games. The team’s revenue goal is $3,000, from ticket sales, sponsorships, and on-site activities, with all proceeds being donated through TEEEM to support TECHO’s work to build a community center in Ecuador.
With $1,300 already secured, the team is seeking additional funding to meet its goal. Local businesses can sponsor a team’s jerseys for $250. The business name will be featured on the back of all eight players’ shirts. They’re hoping to have all 12 teams sponsored.
In a township represented by 78 countries and 52 languages, West Orange is a perfect place to host the fundraiser.
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