Two Harbors student council hosts staff vs students game for charity

A Saturday night basketball game in the Two Harbors High School gym will send every dollar of its proceeds to North Shore Horizons, turning a campus rivalry into direct support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lake County.

The Two Harbors High School Student Council is scheduling the annual Staff vs Students game for 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in a format that has become a familiar draw in the district. One side will feature staff members from Lake Superior School District ISD #381, while the opposing team will be a randomly selected group of 15 high school students.

The fundraiser matters because North Shore Horizons is not a distant charity. The organization was formed in 1980 to serve individuals and families affected by domestic violence and sexual assault in Lake County and the surrounding area, and it received nonprofit status in 1981. Its services include a 24/7 crisis hotline, advocacy, referrals and supportive housing, all out of its office at 127 7th Street in Two Harbors.

That makes the game a direct community handoff: students and staff will fill the gym, and the money raised will go to an agency rooted in the same town that provides urgent help when families are in crisis. For a small community, that local connection gives the event a practical payoff beyond the usual school-night entertainment.

The Student Council is also adding halftime and in-game entertainment to widen the audience beyond basketball fans. A robotics demo and a cheerleading show will run during the game, giving more students a role in the evening and making the event feel like a schoolwide production rather than a single matchup.

The game also shows how the tradition has grown into a recurring fundraising platform for Two Harbors High School. Last year’s version included a student-run THHS DECA merchandise booth, another sign that the event has become part fundraiser, part showcase for student participation, and part community gathering.

In a region where local nonprofits often depend on homegrown support, the appeal is straightforward: a few hours in the high school gym will raise money for an agency that helps neighbors facing violence, crisis and housing instability. For North Shore Horizons, that kind of visible backing can translate into immediate help for Lake County families.