Teddy Roosevelt Club of Excellence
Tommy Hockenjos at a cookout event during a men’s soccer game. Photo by: Ann Shelley.
By Ann Shelley// Opinion Editor
Clubs are very popular on campus and there are new ones starting every year. One new club is the Teddy Roosevelt Club of Excellence.
“It all began last spring when Chris Benson, Sarah Jessica Forte and I went on a hike one Saturday morning,” Tommy Hockenjos, founding member and current president, said. “We felt how nice it was to be outside talking with friends, experiencing beautiful views and most importantly the freedom we felt from technology.”
They wanted the focus of the club to be on interacting with others. Once they saw that more people wanted to join, they decided there was a need for an outdoors club.
“We want to allow for leadership and ways to give back to the community as well,” Hockenjos said.
According to Hockenjos, the Teddy Roosevelt Club of Excellence’s official purpose is “to create strong personal connections while developing the whole self through fellowship, service, and the great outdoors. Club activities offer an escape from the daily technological addiction and stress that we face in our society. As a club, we strive to build teamwork, leadership, self-confidence and environmental awareness.” The club wants more people to get out of their dorm rooms and go outside to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
When asked how difficult it was to make the club a reality, Hockenjos replied, “It really wasn’t that hard.” Benson and Hockenjos started to draft the idea and structure for the club and brought it to Hockenjos’ success coach, Britt Carl. Carl was able to help make it a reality. Currently, they are waiting for the Student Government Association to review their constitution and receive their charter.
“I am a huge fan of Teddy Roosevelt,” Hockenjos said after explaining how he came up with the name. “I felt I should honor him and name it the ‘Teddy Roosevelt Club of Excellence.’”
Teddy Roosevelt encompassed all the morals Hockenjos wanted in his club and he also established the national parks system, so Hockenjos thought it would only be fitting to name the club after him.
So far, the club has gone hiking at Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock State Park. They are in the process of planning a camping trip to Asheville and are also planning for another trip in the spring.
The club currently has around 200 members, but they are always welcoming more. “It was much smaller last year; however, after the activities fair this year, our member count has skyrocketed and continues to grow,” Hockenjos said.
On their most recent trip, a day of hiking at Hanging Rock State Park, the club had around 50 members in attendance. If you are interested in learning more information, contact Hockenjos at thockenj@highpoint.edu.