This summer, the freshman football team at Moorhead High School had the chance to experience a one-of-a-kind camp thanks to a special initiative fueled by philanthropy. It’s called the Teiken Academy, and it’s designed to help kids succeed on and off the field by helping them develop not only physical skills, but valuable life skills as well. The Academy is a collaboration between Moorhead High School Athletics and Sanford Health and was established thanks to a generous gift from Brent and Jodell Teiken through the Sanford Health Foundation.
| READ MORE: Teiken Academy helps young athletes learn life skills
Developed specifically for ninth-grade football players at Moorhead High School, the Teiken Academy covers topics such as health and wellbeing, mental health, personal growth, communication, leadership and teamwork.
Participants also have the chance to participate in mock job interviews and mentor pairings, each of which provide guidance and support for personal and athletic growth.
This year’s featured speaker was Hunter Pinke, a former University of North Dakota football player who suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a skiing accident. Pinke is currently paralyzed from his chest down and spoke on the power of resilience.
Amy Hinkemeyer, vice president for the Sanford Health Foundation in Fargo and Bemidji, called the Teiken Academy a game-change for youth development and thanked the donors for making the initiative possible.
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“This truly is a gift that keeps on giving because participants of the Teiken Academy are forever changed by this experience. The Teiken Academy is helping young people develop skills they will carry with them for the rest of their lives — skills that will make them better individuals, better teammates and better community members. We couldn’t be more grateful to the Teiken family for supporting this important and meaningful program.”
Vice President, Sanford Health Foundation in Fargo & Bemidji
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