Category: Newsletter

Dakota Chang Attends First Tee Innovators Forum

(Dakota Chang Attends First Tee Innovators Forum) Each year, a group of exceptional First Tee teens are selected and gather at the First Tee Innovators Forum, where they develop a meaningful service project to bring home to their community. The projects are focused on education, health, human rights or environmental sustainability. By bringing together passionate participants from across the chapter network, the Innovators Forum provides a distinctive enrichment experience, engaging teens who share a similar desire for learning and generating changes in their communities.  First Tee – Silicon Valley participant Dakota Chang applied, and was selected to attended the event last month, where she deepened her understanding on community service, built relationships with change makers, and started to develop her own project to complete back here in the Bay Area. Thanks for representing FTSV in such a positive way, Dakota!

Connection between FTSV Goal Ladder & SMART Goals

During her time at the Innovators Forum, Dakota attended case studies and other workshops focused around creating and implementing community service projects. For her, one of the biggest take-aways was learning from Mia Bishop, a psychotherapist helping children and teens in Atlanta, GA. Bishop spoke about the importance of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for a project’s success. Dakota immediately saw the connection between SMART goals and FTSV’s goal ladder, both emphasizing the importance of being thoughtful when planning a project and measuring progress. Additionally, Dakota was inspired to hear how someone could both build a career and give back at the same time.

“It was really cool hearing how she focused her career around helping others and making a difference. I was worried about having to split my time between community service and working, but after hearing about how Ms. Bishop built her job around helping others, it made me excited about finding that crossover in my own life.”

Dakota’s Service Project

Now back in the Bay Area, Dakota is continuing to plan out her own service project. Currently, she plans to partner with local senior living facilities to provide technology assistance. One of the biggest points she learned at the Innovators Forum was the importance of working directly with communities to develop solutions, so her first objective will be conducting interviews and surveys to identify where she could make the most impact. She is also taking our Ace Give Back project that will help provide additional guidance on making the most of her giving back experience. FTSV is proud of you, Dakota! Keep up the great work! 

National Opportunities

If you are interested in learning more about the National Opportunities available in 2025, please visit our website or reach out to Coach Phoenix ([email protected]). National Opportunities are available to FTSV high schoolers and are free to attend. Participants are selected to apply based on multiple factors.

Published: 12-11-2024

Manny Gallardo Awarded National First Tee Coach of the Year!

On November 20th, First Tee – Silicon Valley’s (FTSV) Coach Manny Gallardo was awarded National Coach of the Year across all First Tee Chapters world-wide! There are over 150 First Tee chapters, with over 5,000 coaches in the network. Congratulations Coach Manny on this incredible achievement!

Making an Impact

Coach Manny has been a positive force at First Tee – Silicon Valley for over 12 years. He began as a volunteer in 2012, became a paid instructor in 2013, and advanced to a Coordinator in 2017.

Manny has developed over 200 games, worked on resource videos for participants and parents, coordinated golf club donations to participants on financial need, trained other coaches on our building blocks and coach philosophy, developed and coordinated our girls golf and some of our pre-season tournament events, grew our outreach School Program in South County, and helped deliver parent orientations, all while coaching every season, 7 classes a season for the past 10 years! We would simply not be where we are today without Manny elevating our program experience.

“In the 12 years that I have been with First Tee, I can’t think of anyone who embodies First Tee more than Manny,” said Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “He is a special person who was meant to be a coach and a mentor. He is universally liked and respected by everyone; coaches, parents, participants, alumni, school directors, and board members because he is a great and caring person. He is driven by helping others, including everyone, and making the experience fun. Participants have credited him for their leadership skills, for playing competitive golf, for taking on new challenges, or for sticking with it during difficult times. Our program is only as good as the people who represent it and we couldn’t ask for a better representative.”

Read What Others Have Had to Say

Click here to read from other participants, coaches and staff about the impact Manny has had on them.

Congratulations Manny Gallardo National First Tee Coach of the Year!

Interested in becoming a coach and making a difference like Coach Manny? Please visit our VOLUNTEER PAGE. No golf experience necessary!

Published: 12-11-2024

Annual College Day Tournament

On November 9th, First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) hosted its Annual College Day Tournament where our 36 participants paired up with a collegiate player from Santa Clara or Stanford in a triple format tournament.  For the second straight year, we invited 6 participants from the First Tee – Greater Sacramento to join us in our friendly competition.  Thank you so much FTGS for making the trip!

Each middle school participant partnered with a player from Santa Clara women’s team while the high school participants partnered with the men’s team from Santa Clara and Stanford.  All of our players put their life skills to the test by demonstrating it towards the college players.  FTSV participant, James Carlo, in particular, displayed a proper First Tee greeting by removing his hat and shaking hands with Santa Clara’s coach John McCord.

Kayden and Varnika teamed up with Stanford’s Jay Leng and shared their experience:

“Being able to play with Jay at the College Play Day was such a great experience because it showed me how a college player like Jay approached the game and showed his passion for golf.  Which gave an insight on the skill and commitment required to play at the college level.  It showed me that it’s possible to continue sports after high school and it’s achievable.”

“Playing in the College Day Tournament was an awesome experience.  I got to play with Jay, a college golfer from Stanford, and it was super inspiring—it definitely motivated me to keep working hard pursuing my passion for golf.”

In a very tight competition, we awarded medals to the top 3 teams for middle school and high school.  Thank you everyone for playing with honesty, integrity, and having a ton of fun!

Annual College Day Tournament Results

1st Place

6th-8th Grade: Suri Lau (FTSV) and Ami Im (Santa Clara) score of 27

9th – 12th Grade: Paavni B. (FTGS) and TK Chantananuwat (Stanford) score of 26

2nd Place

6th-8th Grade: Jesse Jang (FTSV) and Chloe Lam (Santa Clara) score of 29

9th – 12th Grade: Kristen Tang. (FTSV) and Calder Overfelt (Santa Clara) score of 27

3rd Place

6th-8th Grade: Caroline Yuan (FTSV) and Brianna Park (Santa Clara) score of 30

9th – 12th Grade: Sophia Tang. (FTSV) and Matt Robles (Santa Clara) score of 27

Closest to the Pin

Jayden Aguinaga (FTSV) and Brian Ma (Stanford)

Straight Drive

Kaiden Wong (FTSV) and Nathan Wang (Stanford)

Next tournament will be March,1st 2025

For information about these tournaments and more, visit Our Opportunities page or contact Manny Gallardo – [email protected].

Participants vs. Parents Tournament: A Day of Fun and Friendly Competition

On Saturday, November 9th, a day of fun and friendly competition at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course: The Participants vs. Parents Tournament. Both kids and parents competed against each other in a match. In the end, it was the kids who came out on top, winning with a total score of 125, narrowly edging out the parents’ score of 130. The tournament was designed to offer a twist on traditional golf, with a variety of fun games and challenges throughout the course. Both participants and parents were given the chance to show off their skills, as well as their creativity.

Hole 3: Soccer Golf Challenge

One of the highlights of the day was the Soccer Golf Challenge on hole 3. Players took a break from their traditional golf swings and instead had to use their feet to get the ball into the hole. The rules were simple: no clubs allowed, just soccer-style kicks. The kids seemed to have the edge in this challenge, with their youthful energy and soccer skills giving them an advantage over the parents. The short, strategic kicks required for this hole had everyone laughing, especially when the ball veered off course in unpredictable ways.

Hole 7: Spin the Wheel – Random Club Challenge

On hole 7, things took a quirky turn with the Spin the Wheel challenge. Players had to spin a wheel to determine which random club they would use for the hole. From wedges to drivers, the wheel could land on anything, forcing participants to adapt their strategy quickly. The unpredictability of the challenge kept everyone on their toes, and the parents’ strategic thinking was tested as they were often forced to use a club that wasn’t the ideal choice for the hole. Still, the kids embraced the randomness, showing that sometimes, having fun is more important than precision.

Course Contests: Closest to the Pin & Longest Drive

In addition to the hole-specific challenges, the tournament also featured two exciting course contests: Closest to the Pin on hole 5 and Longest Drive on hole 4. Both contests were fiercely contested, with bragging rights on the line.

Parents Long Drive: Will (225 yards)

Parents Closest to the pin: Will (44 inches)

Kids Long Drive: Siwat (130 yards)

Kids Closest-to-the-Pin: Leo  (10 inches)

While the final scores were close, with the kids narrowly winning by just five points, the real highlight of the day was the camaraderie between parents and children. The tournament wasn’t just about golf; it was about bringing families together, encouraging friendly competition, and making memories that would last a lifetime.

The Participants vs. Parents Tournament was a huge success, combining the thrill of golf with the joy of spending time with family. It was clear that everyone—whether they were swinging a club or kicking a soccer ball—was a winner in the end.

Published: 12-4-2024

Girls Golf Autumn Play Day: A Fun-Filled Day of Learning, Practice, and Play!

The sun shined bright as our participants gathered for our much-anticipated Girls Golf Autumn Play Day: A Fun-Filled Day of Learning, Practice, and Play.  Designed to inspire our young golfers, we kicked off the session with the icebreaker: name badge creation.  Each participant had the chance to design their own name badge adding a bit of personality and flair before heading out for a day full of golf and camaraderie with our coaches and two members from the San Jose State Women’s Golf team.

After creating name badges, we commemorated the day with a group photo.  The participants gathered in front of hole nine to capture the moment.

On-Course Play: Putting Skills to the Test

With the group picture behind them, the participants were ready to take their skills to the course.  Each hole had a different theme.  On two holes, our participants played a round with San Jose State University team members Kate Roberts and Tessa Kremser.  From tee box to green, the San Jose State Women’s golf team offered encouragement and advice when needed.

Our participants also competed the pumpkin patch driving challenge and the scare the scarecrow approach shot challenge.  Our participants definitely scared the scarecrow with some awesome golf shots!

It’s a Wrap! Girls Golf Autumn Play Day was a Success

The day ended with our post game activities, food, and a raffle.  Our participants enjoyed time taking photos in our photo booth as well as decorating fall portraits and mason jars.  Our Junior Council, who helped put the event together had a few remarks regarding the event.

“I loved seeing the girls having fun and creating bonds while playing on the course!” – Coach Li An “It really brightened my morning seeing the energy and excitement the kids brought out to the Girls Golf event!” 

“The girls were fascinated watching the SJSU golfers playing with them, having shared smiles and laughter throughout the day” – Coach Abigail

“I loved watching the kids interact with the San Jose State golfers.  It made me so happy to see the girls surrounded by such positive role models as they continue to explore golf” – Coach Varnika

“Seeing all the kids get excited to take photos (Polaroid), crafts and just having a fun time together playing golf and interacting with one another was honestly the best feeling ever!” – Coach Chloe

The event was a perfect blend of fun, learning, and teamwork – showcasing the power of golf to create a community by bringing people together of all ages or experience.  With events like these, it’s safe to say that many of the young participants will continue to grow in the sport, carrying with them the lessons they gathered in their Fall Play Day experience.

Special thanks to SJSU members Kate and Tessa for taking the time out of their day to give our participants an experience to remember.

Special thanks to our Junior Council who were tasked with putting together, budgeting, and coordinating the entire event. We’re very proud of you! Our Junior Council is made up of 20 high school FTSV participants. For more information on how to join, please email [email protected].

Lastly, thank you to Coach Gracie, Alexia, and all of our volunteer coaches for making this Girls Golf Event so memorable! 

Next Girls Golf will be March,1st 2025. For information about these play days and more, visit Our Opportunities page or contact Manny Gallardo – [email protected].

Published: 12-4-24

Meet New FTSV Board Ambassador: Lorena Hathaway

Meet newly elected First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) Board Ambassador: Lorena Hathaway.

Lorena wants her journey to be a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and continuous learning which is in direct alignment with FTSV’s mission.

Lorena shared “I honored to join FTSV as an Ambassador, knowing the profound difference it can make for kids and teens.  Golf has always meant so much to me and my family and I’m thrilled to share my passion for the game and its values with the next generation – especially honesty. Teaching young players to be truthful and act with integrity both on and off the course, is a lesson that extends far beyond the game and builds a foundation for lifelong success.” 

FTSV is grateful that Lorena is also donating her time as volunteer coach.

Lorena has over two decades of experience in B2B marketing creating and executing high-impact demand generation campaigns for technology products and services. She has recently held Marketing Directors positions at Televerde, DataStax, Fenris Digital, and Precisely proceeded by almost 9 years at Pitney Bowes.

LinkedIN: Lorena Hathaway

Lorena is a great addition to our Board of Ambassadors. Board Ambassadors give advice, assist with projects, represent the organization in the community at events, help raise funds, and expand FTSV’s network throughout Silicon Valley and beyond. Click here to meet all our Board Members. Contact Judy Deaton if you have interest in learning more about a volunteer Board opportunity.

New FTSV Ambassador: Lorena Hathaway

Published: 11-26-2024

Participant Spotlight: Edwin Sanchez

First Tee- Silicon Valley participant spotlight: Edwin Sanchez has been hard at work giving back to his community and being the change that he wants to see in the world. He is leading neighborhood clean-up projects, volunteering with us as a youth mentor and coach, and even serving as a part of the District 3 Youth Commission. On and off the course, Edwin continues to show what it really means to be involved and make a difference. Great work, Edwin!

Edwin joined FTSV as a participant 5 years ago. Since then, he has taken over 17 classes, participated in many of our tournaments and events, and started volunteering as a junior coach, passing on the Life Skill knowledge he has learned to the younger participants. Edwin is a committed and caring FTSV participant, and this extends to other parts of his life as well.

Beyond the golf course

He organizes a monthly neighborhood clean-up, getting people together to make positive change. Working with Beautify SJ, Edwin and other community members spend 3 hours every month cleaning and giving back to the neighborhood. When asked about the project, he said “I’ve been doing this for almost 8 months. It fills me with pride to help my community, the place I grew up. FTSV has helped me a lot with my time management and I use that skill regularly, especially on projects such as this one.”

Edwin is also a part of the San Jose Youth Commission, representing District 3. The Youth Commission is a group of young people committed to serving their community through legislation, service projects, and activism. Within this role, Edwin runs a Youth Advisory Committee, working directly with other teens from his district to provide input on policy and programs that impact the city. Currently he is organizing monthly meetings and looks forward to the upcoming projects.

When asked about his passion for social service, Edwin reflected on his upbringing. “My mom took me out almost every week to do some sort of volunteer project. Now that I am in high school, I see a lot of my school field trips are to places I volunteered at in the past, to learn more about the impact these organizations are making.  I took a field trip to one place where my name is on a drawing on the wall from when I was there as a kid, and it really showed me that I have been able to make an impact for a while now. I want to continue to make that impact, both to improve my community and also to build my own confidence and experience with leadership and changemaking.”

“If I had one word of advice, take on volunteering and social service at your own pace. It takes a bit to get used to the time commitment, but it will make you feel good about yourself and reinforces your values. Also, it brings you recognition from your community leaders, and will lead to more opportunities in the future.”

Thank you for all your hard work, Edwin! If you would like to get involved in your community as a First Tee Volunteer Coach, please visit our website or reach out to Julie ([email protected]) to learn more. If you would like to join our program as a participant, please visit our registration page.

PUBLISHED: 11-8-2024

FTSV Parents Participate in FREE Golf Clinic

On Saturday, November 2nd, First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) parents/guardians participated in a free golf clinic at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. Thank you so much to all that attended. FTSV staff hope that everyone had fun, learned helpful golf techniques, and gained confidence to play with your child(ren).

During the clinic, FTSV staff members walked parents through how classes are structured, reviewed our life skill curriculum, and introduced a few of our golf cues. Parents were then able to hit as many balls as they liked, while FTSV coaches provided feedback and golf tips. Afterwards, parents put their new skills to the test with fun games just like it’s done in our participant classes. The clinic came to an end and everyone left excited and encouraged to take up the game, or play more.

Golf can be a challenging sport. It takes deliberate practice, patience, and a growth mindset. FTSV believes that when parents/guardians understand and are involved in their participants’ golf journey, everyone has more fun and sees improvement more quickly. We hope these clinics help the parents learn some golf skills so they can join their kids. Golf can be a great family activity as anyone can play at all ages.

Golf has jargon that can be intimidating so we created a resource document that details what you need to know to get range balls, set a tee time, and learn everything else someone might need to know about playing at a golf course. From everyone at FTSV, we hope to see you out at the course!

If you have any questions regarding anything golf related, feel free to call or email Coach Phoenix (650-887-7104, [email protected]).

Published: 11-8-2024

Join the Movement: Empowering Youth through Volunteerism

Join the Movement: Empowering Youth through Volunteerism at First Tee – Silicon Valley! At FTSV, we are constantly seeking passionate individuals who are committed to shaping the lives of young people and providing them with the tools they need for a bright future. By volunteering your time as a coach or mentor, you’ll help instill core values and essential life skills in our kids and teens, guiding them toward success. Together, our coaches and volunteers create a positive and safe space for growth, allowing young people to flourish and develop into confident, capable leaders. With just a few hours of your time, you can make a lasting, meaningful impact on their lives.

Why Your Role is Essential

The involvement of community members like you is absolutely vital to FTSV’s success. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on volunteers who are eager to make a difference in the lives of youth. Our coaches and mentors help deliver a fun, engaging curriculum focused on life skills development. In order to maintain an effective, personalized experience for our participants, we aim for a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio, meaning every volunteer is important. By volunteering, you’ll not only help build character in young people, but you’ll also have the opportunity to grow your own leadership and mentorship abilities, all while being part of something much larger than yourself.

The Importance of Giving Back to Your Community

Volunteering and giving back to your community aren’t just about helping others—it’s also about feeling good about yourself and being a part of something bigger. Studies show that giving your time and energy can boost your mood, increase feelings of purpose, and create a sense of fulfillment and belonging.

As the saying goes, “be the change you want to see in the world.” By volunteering at FTSV, you’re doing just that—you’re helping to create a future where kids and teens have the opportunity to succeed, grow, and become the next generation of high character leaders. Every caring action, every piece of advice a coach delivers, no matter the size, can make a big impact.

Please considering visiting our volunteer page to apply.

Published: 11-8-2024

Meet New FTSV Board Director: Shawn Fox

First Tee – Silicon Valley recently elected Shawn Fox to our Board of Directors.

Shawn started golfing when Tiger did. His grandfather, who he still plays with, introduced him to the game. He went on to compete in college and other golf tournaments. He shared that golf taught him so many lessons and created so many marquee moments in his life. Shawn lives in Redwood City and plays at Baylands Golf Links (FTSV class course location). He is excited to shift his time to philanthropic endeavors and support a non-profit that he relates to with the character-building mission through a sport he loves. In addition to joining the FTSV Board of Directors, Shawn will also be joining our volunteer coaching staff.

Professionally, Shawn is a solution-oriented leader with more than 18 years of experience driving transformative growth and maximizing performance across diverse organizations. His recent positions were Head of Business Planning at Tesla and Director, Strategy and Commercial Performance at Anheuser-Busch InBev. Shawn graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology, Management and earned his MBA at Columbia Business School.

LinkedIN: Shawn Fox

Shawn is a great addition to our FTSV Board of Directors. Director responsibilities include voting, providing planning, performance, legal and financial oversight, and raising sufficient funds to ensure FTSV’s success. Click Here to meet all our Board of Directors and learn more.

Contact Judy Dixon if you have interest in learning more about our volunteer Board opportunities as a Director or Ambassador.

Published: 11-8-2024

Meet New FTSV Board Director:  Maximilian von Poelnitz

First Tee – Silicon Valley recently elected Maximilian (Max) von Poelnitz to our Board of Directors.

Max saw the FTSV banner at Baylands Golf Links (FTSV course class location) and said to himself – “It’s time to get involved.” He moved here 4 years ago and used to do lots of volunteering. The idea of golf to teach children larger life skills felt like a good fit. In addition to joining the FTSV Board of Directors, Max will also be joining our volunteer coaching staff.

Professionally, Max is a climate and food tech investor excited by innovation in personal nutrition, electrification and B2B bio tech. He is currently Managing Director at Ajinomoto CVC and Investor at numerous companies. He has over 15 years of experience across North America and Asia. Max has built numerous start-ups, founded a venture capital firm, invested as a CVC, and joined as an LP in Loyal VC. He received his BA in History from Wake Forest University and earned his MBA at INSEAD. 

LinkedIN: Maximilian von Poelnitz

Max is a great addition to our FTSV Board of Directors. Director responsibilities include voting, providing planning, performance, legal and financial oversight, and raising sufficient funds to ensure FTSV’s success. Click Here to meet all our Board of Directors and learn more.

Contact Judy Dixon if you have interest in learning more about our volunteer Board opportunities as a Director or Ambassador.

Published: 11-8-2024

Change the Game for MORE Kids!

First Tee – Silicon Valley needs help from you to Change the Game for MORE Kids!

We have MORE Capacity. First Tee – Silicon Valley is thrilled to share that we have a new 25-year agreement for expanded access at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course which doubles our course capacity. We have the space to help 10,000 kids annually – now we need the funding to support our growth.

Mentoring is Priceless.  If you had a mentor growing up, you know that having someone to listen and give guidance to overcome life’s challenges can be transforming. When we look back on the over 100,000 kids First Tee – Silicon Valley has worked with, we are filled with pride and joy knowing that our mentors and our youth development program was there for the kids of our community.

We have Long-term Mentoring Impact. Our intentional focus on the recruitment, retention and progression of our participants has a big impact.

100% of our long-term kids and teens graduate high school

100% of our long-term teens attend college

100% learn life skills that make them good citizens! 

75% of our long-term high school participants give back as junior mentors

Our Kids Face Heavy Stuff.  The pressures of social media, loneliness, mental health struggles, family dynamics, peer and family judgment, inequities of living in Silicon Valley and devastating world events are all adversely affecting youth. FTSV creates a supportive, safe, and positive environment where kids are empowered to be themselves, and feel included!

We are a National Leader. We lead the nation among the 140 First Tee chapters in several key program measures including the highest number of participants selected to national academies and leadership opportunities:

85% diversity       48% low-income

55% retention      1:4 mentor ratio

Meet Alexandra. “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.” Listen to Alexandra share her personal story and how FTSV is helping her on her journey to be the first in her family to attend college.

$500 Donation.  Will underwrite one low-income course participant and one Title 1 student to experience our school program. That’s $40 a month for high-quality mentorship teaching our character-building life lessons that have proven to make a difference. 

Ways to Give.   We are locally funded by people like you! Consider a recurring or one-time donation or select FTSV as your Company Matching or Donor Advised Funds charity.

Click Here for credit card donation or make a pledge to mail us a check.

PUBLISHED: 11-7-2024