The KRTY.COM Writers Cup will benefit First Tee – Silicon Valley. Join some of Nashville’s country music songwriters on October 7th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club for a day of golf, guitars and giving back!
Alexandra Varo received the *Joyce M. Taylor Eagle Award and a $5,000 college scholarship at the First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) 2024 Invitational fundraiser on July 17th at CordeValle in San Martin, CA. Thank you to our sponsors for supporting our 24-year mission of addressing socio-economic gaps and fostering inclusion. FTSV has served over 100,000 youth, making programs accessible and affordable across Santa Clara County. Alexandra was recognized for her academic excellence, volunteer work, and First Tee values. She will be the first in her family to attend college, studying Forensic Science at San Jose State University.
Alexandra’s achievements include:
– FTSV participant and volunteer since September 2021 – Selected for the First Tee Game Changers Academy & Leadership Summit – HS Scholar-Athlete Award: 2021-2023 – President’s Volunteer Service Bronze Award: 2023 – Volunteer math tutor
“I can say that I am a different person now than when I first joined First Tee – Silicon Valley,” says Alexandra. “I consider First Tee – Silicon Valley to be my greatest support system that has given me a place to practice and develop my personal skills.” See below to hear Alexandra share her personal story and how First Tee is helping her on her journey to college and beyond.
Organized by FTSV Board Chairman Victor M. Arrañaga, Jr. and FTSV President & CEO George Maxe, the 2024 Invitational included a Legislative Roundtable with CA Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, CA State Senator Dave Cortese, CA State Senator Steven Bradford, CA Assembly Member Heath Flora, and Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone.
George and Victor shared the State of FTSV with the elected officials. Victor said, “The core of what we teach the youth we serve is appreciating diversity, respect, integrity, active listening, and empathy. We are determined in our mission to build character, shape the leaders of tomorrow and inspire them to make our community and the world a better place.”
*Joyce Taylor (1957–2010) was a respected businesswoman and community leader, graduating with honors from the University of Oklahoma. As Senior Vice President at AT&T, she supported the founding of the Eagles at Rancho del Pueblo junior golf program in 2000, which became First Tee – Silicon Valley in 2005, reaching over 100,000 youth. The Joyce Taylor Eagle Award provides college financial assistance to participants excelling academically and demonstrating exceptional character.
First Tee – Silicon Valley participant and junior coach Amy Tran has been selected as one of the 2024 Youth on Course College Scholarship recipients.
Congratulations Amy!
Amy has been an active participant in FTSV since she was in 6th grade. From starting with the Course and Practice classes, to taking the ACE curriculum and participating in chapter tournaments, Amy has been a part of everything FTSV has to offer. She also has been a volunteer coach for 4 years now, taking the life and golf skills she has learned and passing them on to younger participants. As both a coach and participant, Amy brings an excited and positive energy to the course, bringing others up around her as she pushes herself to be the best she can be.
When asked about FTSV, Amy said “My favorite part is how rewarding it is to make golf more accessible to marginalized communities. Golf didn’t seem like something that was accessible to me because of money, and First Tee made it possible. FTSV has created a platform for me to learn golf skills as well as personal skills, helping me to make connections on and off the golf course.”
Youth On Course is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable access to golf courses for kids (click here to learn more). Amy has been a member of Youth on Course for 5 years now and has been able to take full advantage of the benefits. She has been able to play golf at many different and unique golf courses, places that would be inaccessible to her if not for YOC. She says “Affordable golf is what makes it possible for me to grow and improve, and it’s what makes it possible for me to enjoy the game without experiencing imposter syndrome.”
The YOC College Scholarship will make a big difference for Amy. She is excited to attend UC San Diego where she will double major in Education Studies and a health field. Her plans are to use her education to become an optometrist. Goodluck and Congratulations Amy!
“Thank you so much to all my coaches for making this possible! I wouldn’t have known about this opportunity without Coach Chris sending it out to the ACE class. Small opportunities can snowball into big things, and I am very grateful for all the help I have been given!” – Amy
FTSV offers YOC memberships for $15 for the year providing access for our participants to golf courses all over Northern California for only $5. To sign up click here or email [email protected]. You must be an active FTSV participant to be eligible. To learn about scholarship available to our participants, please click here.
This tournament is held at the Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica, California and serves to support advocacy for public golf courses in California. It also works towards preserving Sharp Park, a beautiful public golf course designed by the same architect who designed Augusta, MacKenzie. It is a historic and important golf course, and through fundraising and advocacy efforts such as this tournament, will continue to bring joy to the California golf community.
The entire FTSV team had a great time, collaborating and supporting one another in the scramble format.
Here’s what Sharleen had to say about the event…
“I teamed up with two nice coaches and another experienced FTSV participant. The course was tough with narrow fairways and lots of hills. On the ninth hole, I got really nervous when it was my turn to hit, but my teammates said, ‘Try your best, don’t stress’. I remembered what my coach taught me: stay relaxed and try my best.”
“Sharp Park Golf Course is special to me. Even though it’s challenging…, its history and design make it a unique place to play golf. Joining the charity tournament made me appreciate how important it is to preserve and take care of the course. I’m thankful for the chance to play and support a course that means so much to everyone. At the end of the day, it’s not just about the score; it’s about the memories and the effort we put into the game we love.”
Thank you so much to the SF Public Golf Alliance for sponsoring the foursome and all the hard work to keep this peace of local history open to the public.
(FTSV Fall Season – Register on August 14th) Fall season registration opens here on Wednesday, August 14th at 11am and closes on Thursday, August 22rd at 11:59pm. The 8-week fall season begins the week of September 3rd and ends October 26th. Register on August 14th and take part in engaging and fun life skill and golf skill classes at either Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, or Gavilan College Golf Course in Gilroy.
The fall schedule is now posted here. See you at the course!
Classes are broken down by grade group so feel free to invite a friend and take part in our fall classes.
Financial aid is available during the 3rd step of the registration process. We make our programs accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship.
Fun with Intention
Each week our participants experience one of our 6 Life Skills and 6 Golf Cues. Our life skills cover everything from showing respect, to pursuing goals, making good choices, building a positive self-identity, overcoming challenges, and collaborating with others. We strive to integrate the skills seamlessly through games and activities that make classes and learning fun. After all, we learn best when we are engaged and having fun.
We believe having fun means feeling included, having positive and supportive coaches, and staying active through games that help reinforce the skills. In our most recent survey, 98% of our participants said they had fun, 98% felt their coach kept them active, 97% felt part of the group, 96% felt their golf skills improved and 90% felt they improved their life skills. We change up our games each season so there is always something new for the participants to enjoy each season.
We encourage youth 2nd grade and above to join our program and ask that you help spread the word. For more information click here. Click here to view our program video and learn more from our participants, parents, and coaches!
(Join Us as a Volunteer Coach!) First Tee – Silicon Valley is looking for adult coaches interested in transforming lives through youth development and giving kids and teens a brighter future. By becoming a coach or volunteer, you will contribute to the development of the life skills and character of our participants, helping to set them up for the future.
It is Fun!
We believe in having fun while learning and coaches play a large role in making the classes enjoyable. We utilize creative games to reinforce the life and golf skills, and our class framework is structured to keep the participants active. Coaches and participants learn from each other while having a good time.
Have an Impact!
People find themselves growing the most when they take on new challenges. You can be an important part in that growth, helping to challenge and support our participants as they work on their life and golf skills. At the same time, our coaches are also taking on challenges, learning how to teach in different ways, and all the time improving their communication, mentorship and leadership skills.
Join Us as a Volunteer!
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on community members determined to make a difference to work with us, delivering our fun life skill curriculum to the participants. If volunteering as a coach sounds like a good fit for you, please visit our volunteer page where you can apply. Please also consider inviting a friend, or a work colleague.
The US AM TOUR has conducted a 50/50 Raffle at each of their Northern California tournaments raising $8,000 for FTSV. Tournament Director, Dan Cacho, reached out to us in May to create a beneficiary partnership. He generously designated our chapter to receive half the funds raised. These funds will enable us to provide financial aid to low-income kids to have access to our youth development program. Our goal is to develop life-long golfers of all levels while teaching life skills.
What we like most about the US AM TOUR is that there is a flight for everyone. This encourages golfers of all levels to become part of a golf community that is steeped in passion for the game of golf while providing access to top golf courses.
Dan Cacho, the U.S. Am Tour’s Western Regional Director said, “That’s the ultimate mission for the tour, to try to give golfers a platform to improve their games and test themselves on the tournament level.”
The US AM TOUR is the largest and most trusted amateur golf tour in the country. There are six flights for each tournament, and each also has a respective senior flight, meaning there are 12 different winners at the 700 events across the United States. Members are eligible to play anywhere they wish, they do not have to play solely on their designated home tour. During the year there are 30 tournaments that are labeled as majors, which are 36-hole events. Points and performance rankings are accrued for each local tour and the top players in each division will qualify for the national championship, which this year is September 8-17 at Innisbrook Resort, home pf the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship.
The Ameriprise Financial Associate and Client Tournament on June 27th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club benefited FTSV. Fifty golfers raised close to $4K to help us provide financial aid so low-income kids can have access to our youth development program. Our goal is to teach life skills and develop life-long golfers.
A special thank you to Chi Kim, Gabe Wang and Kenneth Lee for hosting and for your partnership. Thank you for helping us mentor MORE kids!
To conclude the festivities, First Tee – Silicon Valley’s Natalie Chen spoke about how overcoming her challenges and being in FTSV helped her gain more confidence.
If you have an upcoming tournament and would like to make First Tee – Silicon Valley the beneficiary, please click here.
Celebrating 130 Years, Ameriprise Financial putting clients first since 1894. Generations of clients have entrusted Ameriprise Financial with their futures. Reaching beyond standard financial and retirement plans to provide a personalized financial advice strategy that is right for you. Banking, investments or insurance, find out how Ameriprise compares to other financial services companies, CLICK HERE.
NCGA Reach Grant Funds Affordable Private Instruction for Low Income Kids. First Tee – Silicon Valley was awarded a $16,000 NCGA Reach Grant specifically for programs to grow participation in golf from under-represented groups. We are excited to have launched a private instruction opportunity during the current Summer season under the direction of FTSV Coach Felix. Part of the criteria for participating is they must be receiving financial assistance in our normal programming.
Some of the low-income kids in FTSV’s course program have limited access to golf. Golf rates are challenging to afford, or they do not have adults in their lives who play golf, or transportation to a golf course in an obstacle. FTSV works very hard to make our classes affordable (i.e., $20 or less for an otherwise $240 class), accessible throughout Saturdays in East San Jose when many parents/guardians are off work, and welcoming with caring mentors/coaches of diverse backgrounds.
Private instruction is the purview of the golf course operator and its instructors. While FTSV provides coaching in golf skills, we place a lot of emphasis on life skills, and we are not private instructors. CourseCo, which operates our main program location, Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in East San Jose, supports FTSV’s limited, coordinated entry into private instruction.
Private instruction is expensive so there is a significant barrier to entry for low-income families who are predominantly new to the game. FTSV wants to break down this barrier. With this grant, FTSV will subsidize Rancho for private instruction for low-income kids who are FTSV participants. To be eligible, kids must be Youth On Course members, active FTSV participants in the year of the private lessons, achieved a minimum number of classes prior to the lessons, and in 3rd grade or higher. In addition, they must have already received financial assistance from FTSV, which determines need using total household income, number of household members, financial hardship, and enrollment in their schools’ free/reduced lunch program.
FTSV’s Program Director will present kids with a special invitation each season to ensure that they are eligible and committed. The program will consist of five weeks of a mix of private lessons and practice lessons. All five weeks of the private lessons will fall within FTSV’s 8-week season. The private lessons are 45 minutes in length and limited to two kids. The total cost for a private lesson set would be $120. However, FTSV will only charge kids $20 as a sign of commitment, then subsidize the balance of $100 with this grant. We will limit the kids to two lesson sets per year. Our goal is for 100 kids to take two sets of private lessons.
FTSV expects the Affordable Private Instruction for Low-Income Kids program will strengthen participants’ commitment to golf, continue their enrollment in FTSV classes, and provide golf skills improvement. FTSV will be selecting the kids that have the most potential and are demonstrating the most interest.
Private Instruction will allow these kids to 1) Improve faster with customized instruction; 2) Fix bad habits and establish consistency; 3) Learn at their own pace and comfort level; and 4) Get focused, real-time feedback. On a broader spectrum, the program will develop more low-income kids to have the confidence and ability to enter competitive tournaments, play for their high school teams, and apply for golf scholarships and national First Tee opportunities.
Finally, our hope is participating kids and their families will receive significant inspiration from FTSV’s investment in and validation of them. They will feel more connected to the game of golf as a sport they will continue to play as an adult. In addition, families will likely become more open to golf and more likely to play themselves.
FTSV strongly believes that private golf instruction for low-income kids has been a gap in the golf industry. The NCGA Reach grant will give us the opportunity to see if a program requiring collaboration between key parties like FTSV and an operator like CourseCo is viable for the long-term.
FTSV was chosen for the grant for these reasons:
Innovation (proposal is something that has not been done before)
Soundness (the program is well thought out, staffed, and properly budgeted)
Feasibility (it seems like the program will work, builds on successful programs)
Impact (many people will be reached, it helps bring in new players)
Longevity (the program is multi-year – not a one-time event)
Repeatability (if successful, it can be scaled up and brought elsewhere)
Completeness (proposal is thoughtful and complete)
Jacobs has been the Contract Operator for the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) plant in Gilroy since 1984. Under a long-term service agreement, Jacobs maintains the integrity of the wastewater system. It is the goal of SCRWA to protect public health and the environment and ensure economic vitality of the Gilroy-Morgan Hill region. The plant operator’s objective is to provide the best quality recycled water at a superior value to the residents.
This plant has won numerous awards, including Plant of the Year Award for the past 5 years, while many of their employees have also won individual awards, winning Laboratory Person of the Year numerous times, with the most recent in 2022.
Community involvement is an extension of the Jacobs’ and the SCRWA culture. They care about their surrounding communities. Which is why Jacobs’ felt compelled to sponsor the 4th Annual Fund the Kids Golf Tournament, benefiting First Tee – Silicon Valley.
Congratulations to Tristan Hipolito from First Tee – Silicon Valley for being selected as 1 of 8 participants from across the nation to represent their peers and chapters at the Participant Advisory Council (PAC). This group of First Tee participants will be working together virtually and in person to discuss issues and ideas that impact all First Tee participants. It is critical for youth to be heard, and the PAC provides an important forum for youth to express themselves, voice their ideas, and provide input for projects or programs that would be implemented nationwide. The participants represent their chapter and others at PAC meetings and give honest and professional counsel to HQ on various program and strategic agenda topics.
Let’s get to know Tristan Hipolito
Tristan has been a wonderful part of our program since he transferred from the First Tee East Bay chapter 9 years ago. As a participant, he is one of the most active participants in our program, taking multiple classes every season, participating in all of our off-season events, and coaching on Saturdays. He is an empathetic and thoughtful individual who leads by example and is committed to self-improvement.
Tristan was recently invited to be the guest speaker at our Open fundraiser. In his speech he described how First Tee – Silicon Valley helped him develop into a proactive individual and caring communicator, and how FTSV provided him with opportunities to apply these leadership skills in real life situations like interviewing executives from Amazon Web Services and leading the fundraising committee in our Junior Council.
We are so proud to have Tristan representing our chapter and his peers at the PAC. We know that he is going to make us all very proud.
Dakota Chang and Ashely Pang from First Tee – Silicon Valley are 2 of 48 participants selected from across the country to the First Tee Leadership Academy in partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore. The Leadership Academy is set in Atlanta Georgia and provides selected teens insight on how successful teams perform. The curriculum explores leadership concepts focusing on (1) building a successful team by recognizing values and identifying strengths/weaknesses, (2) leading a team by developing authentic relationships and empowering others, (3) supporting the team by developing awareness and acting with humility, and (4) assessing based on comprehending and identifying the team’s need and supporting through innovation and advocacy. The academy provides an opportunity for teens to explore team dynamics that enhance their future performance as they collaborate with peers and adult mentors. Activity- based workshops are facilitated by leaders from the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes Benz Stadium, and Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
And here is how the First Tee Leadership Academy went!
Both Ashely and Dakota had a fun and memorable experience during this national opportunity. Over the course of the week, they participated in different teambuilding and self-reflective activities, learning what it means to be an effective leader and team player. One activity that stood out to them was a game of telephone where teams tried to assemble building blocks all without being able to see what they were building. When reflecting on this, Ashely said “everyone needs to see the full picture and understand the end goal to best be able to collaborate and support one another.” They learned the importance of strong communication when working on accomplishing a difficult task. In addition to the team building activities, participants were able to learn directly from many different leaders, including Garth Lagerwey, the President & CEO of Atlanta United FC. These speakers shared their experiences working with different types of teams, from sports to the corporate world, and their keys to effective leadership. For Dakota, hearing from Lagerwey was especially impactful because she was able to ask questions about potential future careers and hear about his real-world experiences.
When asked about their biggest takeaways, here is what the FTSV participants had to say:
“A lot of good leaders don’t get caught up on failures. Instead, they take it as a lesson and learn from it, asking ‘What could I have done differently to improve the results.’ This kind of mindset allows for more diversity and for constant improvement through reflection.”
– Dakota
“In a team, communication and relationship building are the fundamental basis for making a team work. Trust is really important in communication, and being able to apply these values with people I didn’t even know was really special. By the end, we had formed teams and life-long friends.”
– Ashely
Thank you to Dakota and Ashely for representing FTSV in such a positive way!
Meet our Leadership Academy Participants!
Dakota Chang is a rising Sophomore at Carlmont High School in Belmont. She has been an engaged participant for roughly 10 years, and continues to become more involved as time goes on. She takes classes every season and spends the entirety of her Saturday volunteering for FTSV at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. She does everything from assisting at the admin table, coaching multiple classes during the day, participating in the high school FTSV class, and helping us clean up at the end of the day. Through her actions she demonstrates what it means to give back and to be there for others. We are very proud to have her represent FTSV at the Leadership Academy!
Ashely Pang is a rising senior, a long-time active participant, a junior coach, and a member of our Junior Council. She is someone who always raises her hand to volunteer whenever something needs to get done, helping out with a smile on her face. In her application, she said “Volunteering itself is a pleasure to participate in since I have the opportunity to shape young minds–both in their character and in golf. In short, First Tee – Silicon Valley has strengthened my leadership skills and has influenced my willingness to engage and give back to my community.” Outside of FTSV, Ashely is the media officer for her hip-hop performance group.
We are very proud of both Dakota and Ashely and we are excited for them to experience this academy!
