Type Archives - Page 10 of 49 - First Tee

Annual Review 2023

2023 was a year of growth for First Tee – Silicon Valley. We served MORE kids!

In 2023, 5,241 Course Participants and School Students, who were 85% Ethnically Diverse and 60% Low Income, experienced our life skills and golf skills program.

Our youth development program has now positively transformed the lives of 95,747 youth through proven programs on-course, in-school, and after-school since 2005.

FTSV signed a new 25-year agreement in April, 2023 for expanded access at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course for our character-building course program. This nearly doubled our class capacity so that we may include many more kids and teen participants and enable them to take even more classes. Our school program completely recovered from COVID set-backs and we are now serving more students than ever at Title 1 schools.

Program Snapshot

Course Participation Impact

100% of our long-term class students graduate high school
100% of our long-term teen class participants attend college
90% of class participants achieve all A’s and B’s in school

Participant Survey Results

97% Coaches were fun and cared
96% Had a fun experience
95% Felt included as part of the group
94% Coaches helped me with my golf skills
89% Coaches helped me with my life skills/lessons

Course Participation

1,208 unique participants took an average of 2 classes at our golf locations yielding 2,226 total registrations

85% Ethnically Diverse
30% Low Income Families received Financial Aid for total of $112,000
59% Male and 41% Female
20% Teens (age 13+) including 22 Junior Council participants focusing on career exploration, post high school education, and community service.
61% at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course; 20% at Baylands Golf Links; 12% at Gavilan Golf Course and 7% Other – FTSV office and multiple locations

School Participation

3,015 students experienced our in-school and after-school program in their setting.

27 total partners – San Jose (15), Mid-Peninsula (7) and South County (5)
85% Ethnically Diverse
75% Low Income students
24 of our 27 were Title I Schools
49% Female and 51% Male

Volunteerism

4:1 Coach to Participant Ratio due to increased volunteerism
73 Total Adult Volunteers
87 Teen Junior Coaches from our program
7 Board Directors
14 Board Ambassadors

Youth Opportunities

FTSV Teens were selected for various leadership and golf opportunities where many received special recognition through scholarships.

Ashley Pang and Isabella Herrera were selected to attend the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy for girls
Camille Thai, Norah Yang, and Franky Sumcad competed in the First Tee National Championship
Raashika Biswari and Alexandra Varo were selected to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow
Camille Thai, Norah Yang and Josh Jang represented FTSV at the 2023 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee
Dylan Chan was selected to attend the First Tee Youth Leadership Academy
Elise NJ and Li An Panfil were selected to attend the First Tee Youth Leadership Summit
Li An Panfil was selected to the First Tee College Scholarship Program
Katelyn Chan was selected to the First Tee Make Your Mark on the Community $4,000 Scholarship
Jonathan Tessmann received the FTSV Joyce Taylor Eagle Award and $5,000 College Scholarship
Salma Rivera received FTSV Dennis Kettmann Memorial $5,000 College Scholarship
Shivam Maji and Katelyn Chan achieved First Tee ACE certification
9 Seniors announced their College Admissions
22 Teens joined FTSV’s new Teen Council advisory youth group
7,991 total hours served = $159,840 equivalency in In-Kind Labor

Financial Snapshot

While it was a year of growth for kids served, it was a challenging year for fundraising after coming off our highest revenue year ever ($1.8M). Fundraising challenges were brought on by donor reluctance due to economic uncertainties, new donor acquisition challenges in a competitive non-profit landscape, and an unexpected cancellation of a Q4 fundraising event. However, FTSV is proud to share that our operations are very stable.

We are optimistic about launching a comprehensive campaign to endow our programs and build facilities that will secure our future growth.

FTSV raised $1.544M. The operating expense distribution of $1.625M was approximately 75% for Programs, 21% for Fundraising, and 4% for Administration.

$651,048 Contributed Income

$313,676 Grants and Foundations

$ 20,168 Corporate Giving

$317,204 Individual Giving

$893,217 Earned Income

$368,781 Participant Class Registration Fees

$501,914 Golf Events: TopGolf, Open, Invitational, Classic (Includes Foundation, Corporate, Individual donations)

$ 22,522 Miscellaneous

$1,544,265 Total Income

Download 2023 Annual Review Presentation

Published: 02-05-2024 EDITED: 04-17-2024

FTSV’s 2024 SAVE the Dates

Please save the dates for First Tee – Silicon Valley events which are designed for our community, participants, supporters, both individual and corporate, and families.

Attending our events are a great way for all individuals to learn more about us while having fun. They also provide a wonderful opportunity for corporations to sponsor our youth programs while entertaining customers.

The money raised from these events and our private Invitational in July represent 55% of our fundraising budget which sustains our youth development program.

Family Fest

at Mexican Heritage Plaza on Sunday, March 3, 2024
a fun, social event for the whole FTSV Family and Supporters.
Registration Opens January 24th @ 11am FAMILY RESERVATION LINK HERE Sponsorships available Now!

Open

at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on Friday, June 7, 2024
a golf tournament, lunch and dinner — our largest event of the year
Registration opens February 7th. Sponsorships available Now!

Challenge Cup

at Baylands Golf Links in early December, 2024
an friendly challenge of champions between country clubs
Registration opens early October, 2024

Please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon Deaton at [email protected] or 408-508-4881, for more information about participating in our events or Sponsorships.

Community Events

Community events occur once every quarter on a Saturdays at 11am. These events bring the local communities we serve together to experience our program in a fun, no pressure environment.

If interested in attending or getting involved with our Community Events, contact Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt [email protected].

February 10^th
May 11^th
August 10^th
November 2^nd

Girls Golf & Seasonal Tournaments

Girls Golf is an opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the game of golf while empowering participants to feel confident, build self-esteem and make new friends in an all-girl environment. Girls Golf seasonal events are open to all FTSV participants.

Seasonal Tournaments are a great way to gain competitive experience in a fun and supportive environment. Tournaments are open to all FTSV participants.

February 24^th
May 18^th
August 17^th
November 9^th

C lick Here to learn more about tournament opportunities.

PUBLISHED: 01-05-2024

Caddy Club Majors: Congrats to the winners!

It’s a wrap on the FTSV 2024 Caddy Club Majors raising $80K for our Financial Aid Program to meet the needs of providing a nurturing environment for MORE kids! Over $16,000 in total “donated” prizes were awarded for all 4 Majors plus we crowned our Player of the Year – -Ann Hallagan!

You can become a Caddy Club member now by making a minimum $30 monthly donation pledge for at least 12 months and you will be active for the 2025 Majors starting in April. Every $360cumulative donation you make allows us to cover the registration fee and golf clubs for a low-income participant to attend 8 weeks of classes. Click Here to Join ANYTIME!

Caddy Club Majors Winners

“Player of the Year” – Lowest Combined score for all 4 Majors

VOICE OF THE SEA – Ann Hallagan – The Olympic Club Golf Threesome, Caddies, Lunch & Drinks

Masters

First Place – CATALINAMOM – Beth Huston – $1,500 Visa Gift Card

Second Place – SSMITH777765 – Stephen Smith- $1,000 Visa Gift Card

Third Place – CTBAUER Chris Bauer – $500 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Place – 3 way tie

BABY NEEDS SHOES – Kathy Huston -Blackhorse/Bayonet Certificate

SLIP M – John Madigan – Shoreline Certificate

GOIRISH – Will Huston – Pacific Grove Certificate

PGA Championship

First Place – TEED OFF- Mary T. Huston- $1,500 Visa Gift Card

Second Place – SBUESNEL – Simon Buesnel – $1,000 Visa Gift Card

Third Place – CELINAARRANAGA Celina Arranaga – $500 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Place –MGILLEY30 – Mike Gilley – Cinnabar Hills Gift Certificate

Fifth Place – CATALINAMOM – Beth Huston – Coyote Creek Gift Certificate

US Open

First Place – VOICE OF THE SEA – Ann Hallagan – $500 Visa Gift Card & Almaden Golf & Country Club Gift Certificate

Second Place – KELLY HEROES – Kelly Leif – $1,000 Visa Gift Card

Third Place – 3 way tie

STU WHITE – Stuart White – $500 Visa Gift Card

JSHR0323 – Josh Schroeder- $500 Visa Gift Card

BOB ZMAN– Bob Zieman – $500 Visa Gift Card

British Open

First Place – Shone Freeman – $1,500 Visa Gift Card

Second Place – Rich Rowley – $1,000 Visa Gift Card

Third Place – BOGIE71 – Jason Suey – $500 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Place – VOICE OF THE SEA – Ann Hallagan – Baylands Golf Links Certificate

Fifth Place – Robert Park – Callippe Preserve Golf Course Certificate

Youth Development through Golf

Our unique approach to youth development transforms lives and gives kids and teens a brighter future. We teach life skills and golf skills on-course, in-school, and after-school. Our programs are accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship. Golf provides a powerful vehicle to help kids build the strength of character and life skills that they can use both on and off the golf course. Ultimately, strong character leads to success in life.

Download the Flyer

Published: 01-05-2024 EDITED: 08-07-24

Coach Spotlight: Meet Coach Ronna

This month’s Coach Spotlight: Meet Coach Ronna! We are so grateful to have Ronna on our team. She has been a volunteer coach with us since the summer of 2021 and has coached just about every season. Before FTSV she volunteered for St Christopher Catholic School as a tutor for 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 8^th graders. She also volunteered for Bay Areas Women’s Sports Initiative where she taught girls life lessons through physical activity. She is an avid golfer, so FTSV is a great fit.

“Has been a great attribute to the first tee!” Says Coach Kyle, about Ronna. “Her positive attitude and demeanor keeps her classes fun and engaging. She demonstrates great leadership skills. If any complications or concerns come up, Ronna is the first one to jump into action. We can’t thank her enough for the years of dedication and support.”

“I enjoy being out there with the kids,” says Ronna, “and tying in golf and life skills while finding ways to utilize them away from the golf course. My goal is to help build trusting relationships so I can help participants build their go-to-team.”

Ronna has been fantastic with the participants,” said Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “She meets the students where they are, brings people together, and builds their confidence. Her lead coaches We are grateful to have her as a coach!”

Help Make an Impact through Volunteering!

First Tee — Silicon Valley is looking for high quality, caring people like Ronna that are interested in showing up and guiding others, so they become even better people and leaders of tomorrow. Our volunteer coaches work together to teach our Life and Golf Skill curriculum by finding and using coachable moments and by making the sessions fun and engaging.

Interested in Getting Started like Ronna?

Visit our volunteer page and click on the volunteer form.
Or contact Julie Donnellan at 408-508-4882 or [email protected]
Click here for our volunteer tri-fold for more information.
Click here to view our video and hear from our coaches and participants

What if I am not an expert coach or golfer?

Our coaches come from all walks of life with different life and golf experiences. We provide life and golf skill training as well training on coach strategies, techniques, and on our coach philosophy. Our goal is to make sure every coach feels supported. Additionally, we have created lesson plans to help everyone work together and support one another in the content and delivery. There will always be a paid, lead coach for each class coordinating the group of coaches.

What is the time requirement?

Volunteer coaches can choose from several class options by location, day of the week, and time.
Time commitment is 2.5 hours a day, once a week for an 8-week season. The 2.5 hours include a 30-minute pre-class meeting, 1.5-hour class, and a 30-minute post-class debrief.

Join our team, learn/develop coaching skills, make a difference in the youth, and give back to the community! Please help us spread the word. The more positive and dedicated coaches, the better the program, and the more impactful it is for our youth.

PUBLISHED: 01-05-2024

FTSV’s Li An Panfil Selected for First Tee College Scholarship

First Tee – Silicon Valley participant and Junior Coach Li An Panfil has been selected for the First Tee College Scholarship program. During her four years in college, Li An will receive an educational grant to help with tuition, as well as access to personal development workshops, internships and employment opportunities post-graduation. Additionally, Li An will be matched with an adult mentor, someone who will act as a resource and motivator as she goes through college. Congratulations Li An on the recognition of all your hard work!

Li An was selected for this program because of her stand-out participation during the First Tee Leadership Summit, as well as her long track record of hard work within First Tee – Silicon Valley. This leadership summit is one of the National Opportunities available to our participants who go above and beyond, providing workshops and learning experiences aimed around developing leadership skills. Li An was at home as a leader here, rising to the occasion and making the most of this opportunity, attracting the attention of facilitators and eventually being selected for the scholarship. We are so proud to have Li An representing us on a national scale.

We had the opportunity to ask Li An about how First Tee has impacted her

“First Tee has played a big role in developing my perseverance”. Having been in the program since the third grade, she has really grown up in First Tee, moving through the different golf skills, and most importantly, life skill lessons. For her, the Goal Ladder stands out the most. She said “[the] goal ladder has really helped me. It has become a natural part of when I plan things, I don’t even have to specifically think about it”.

With tools for building achievable, measurable goals, Li An continues to accomplish what she sets her mind to. This includes doing very well academically, excelling as a junior coach, and, in the future, being accepted into a college where she will continue to thrive.

As a junior coach, Li An has been a rockstar. Her attitude and kindness shine through the work she does, as she passes on the life skills First Tee has taught her down to the next generation. Not only does she work to help bring up others, Li An also gets personal fulfillment out of coaching. When asked, she said “[the participants] put me in a good mood. Seeing people I know and them remembering things about me, and people showing that they care brings me up. It’s a big community feeling, showing that I am making a big impact, spreading knowledge and helping people to improve and be their best self.”

For her next steps, Li An is currently planning on attending a four-year university, now with the support of the College Scholar program. In the future, she wants to pursue a career in healthcare, a field where her perseverance, positive attitude and innate care for others will definitely play a role. Congratulations again Li An!

If you are interested in more information on our National Opportunities, please visit our website or reach out to Program Coordinator Phoenix ([email protected]).

FTSV Participants Awarded Ace Certification Status!

First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to share that two of our participants, Katelyn Chan and Shivam Maji were awarded the distinguished honor of being Ace Certified!

Ace is the highest level of certification at First Tee and less than 1% of First Tee participants from across the country achieve Ace-certification. As a result of their hard work, Katelyn and Shivam will receive local and national recognition from First Tee for completing their Ace classes and the post-class documents. More importantly, their work in our Ace classes helped them apply the First Tee Life Skills to college and career exploration, and to their give-back volunteer opportunities. The Ace classes also assisted in developing transferable skills that will aid them in their professional development.

Meet Katelyn Chan

She was in our program from 2012 to 2023 and was a volunteer coach since 2021. Throughout her time with us, she participated in several seasons each year, attended our Leadership Series, and was selected for the National Leadership Academy in Montana. Recently she was awarded the Make Your Mark Scholarship for her application of First Tee Life Skills to a community project. In her time with FTSV, she was a positive influence on her peers and coaches and led by example by putting her goals into action and demonstrating care for others. She is now a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo studying statistics.

“The Fall Ace-Education class was the most helpful to me because it included doing research on how to pay for college,” said Katelyn. “Many students limit the number of private schools they apply to because they fear the financial costs, however, we learned how accessible scholarships and grants are. Not only did we do research on the variety of scholarships that are on the internet, but we were also taught about budgeting and identifying the different types of financial options available to us when pursuing college.”

Meet Shivam Maji

He is a senior at Lynbrook high school. Shivam has been in our program since 2017 and began volunteering with us in 2023. Shivam excelled in our classes each year, took initiative by applying the skills, and always sought out ways to improve himself and his surroundings. “I found the career project to be especially valuable for me,” said Shivam. “The introspective lessons really helped me to think about and explore my interests and skills, learn about different jobs, and create a career action plan. The class motivated me to dive into networking, seek internships, and make connections that really made applying to college so much easier. I’d really like to thank First Tee – Silicon Valley, and Coach Chris and Coach George for jumpstarting my professional development.”

To be an Ace-certified, participants must be:

at least 14 years old
be in our program for a minimum of 3 years; and attend a minimum of 2 seasons per year.
Attend our 4 Ace-Future Planning Classes (Career, Golf, Education, Give-Back)
Complete the 4 Ace-Future Planning post class documents
Submit a letter of recommendation
Be selected by a panel of First Tee National judges

Congratulations Katelyn and Shivam for your outstanding work and contributions to our chapter and to your community! Our chapter is better because both of you. We are excited for your future and the impact you will continue to make on others.

To find out more about our Ace-Future Planning classes and how to be Ace-certified, please reach out to [email protected] or 408-508-4884.

FTSV Participant Katelyn Chan Awarded Make Your Mark Grant!

Congratulations to FTSV Participant Katelyn Chan for being awarded the Make Your Mark Grant!

Through the Ace Giving Back to the Community class, Ace First Tee participants like Katelyn have an opportunity to make their mark on their community, and leave behind a legacy of impact and service to inspire future Ace participants. To qualify for this Grant, a minimum of 24 hours must be devoted to a project or initiative that seeks to apply knowledge gained at First Tee and bridges service to the greater community. The project must make an impact on a cause or organization in the participant’s community while highlighting the impact First Tee has had on their learning and preparation to succeed in this initiative.

Beginning this Winter, FTSV will allocate $500 in her name to the Ace-Give Back Volunteer class to collectively pursue an enhancement or appreciation project that benefits the FTSV community. FTSV is doing this to reinforce the Make Your Mark Grant and to teach our teens about working as a team and project management.

Katelyn was one of 5 selected from across the country based on her volunteer work at Plateful and ArtReach. At Plateful she contacted restaurants and delivered their excess food to homeless shelters. At ArtReach, she made and distributed care packages for different organizations or community groups. She made support cards for hospital workers, toys for dog shelters, and ordered/delivered handwarmers for the homeless. She credited First Tee – Silicon Valley and the performance and process goal lessons for helping her create and follow through on an action plan to be successful.

“Many people in high school brag about how much they can procrastinate,” said Katelyn, “but at First Tee – Silicon Valley we learn the importance of setting due dates, creating plans, and taking initiative. It is great to grow up and spend a big chuck on my life with First Tee, and be around such a supportive group of people who push me to be the best version of myself. Thank you so much for this grant, I am so surprised!”

Congratulations Katelyn! Your work in the community shows high character, empathy, and a desire to make the world a better place. Thank you!

If you are interested in joining our program like Katelyn did years ago, please click here or contact us at [email protected] or 408-508-4880 for more information.

SCVCC Skins Game – Franky Sinks 20’ Putt to Win

It was a sunny fall day in the mid-60s at Silver Creek Valley Country Club on November 25th. The 3^rd Annual Thanksgiving Skins game started out with a clinic on the driving range. There was a player Q&A session with the gallery, Wayne Kumagai, Organizer, and Avery Cook, Head Pro. We were fortunate to feature five (5) terrific players.

1) Lexi Lowe, Leland High School, +3 handicap, BVAL Champion and team MVP

2) Kaleiya Romero- Pepperdine University, WCC First Team, 2022 and 2023 US Amateur participant

3) Francesca (Franky) Sumcad – Colorado University, former Valley Christian Player, and First Tee – Silicon Valley participant

4) Caleb Shetler – SJSU / Mountain West Freshman of the year, 2021 US Amateur participant at Oakmont, Santa Clara County Champion, Course Record Holder Cinnabar (60) and San Jose Country Club (59)

5) Katherine Zhu – CAL graduate / Rolex All American, 2-time AJGA Champ, former #1 player at CAL

The holiday should have been the 4^th of July because the event started off with a bang and continued throughout the day.

#1 Caleb hit a 320-yard drive and then a lob wedge to 4 feet which he converted to win the first skin.

#2 Kaleiya Romero hit a big drive, then hit a wedge to 4 feet and converted the birdie to win the second skin.

#3 The third hole was halved with pars by Caleb and Katherine Zhu.

#4 All players hit the green and putted for birdies. The hole was halved with pars.

#5 Lexi made a 25-downhill putt for birdie to win the hole for three (3) skins.

#6 Franky Sumcad made a 35-foot uphill putt for birdie, and Lexi Lowe made a 5-foot birdie to tie.

# 7 Lexi Lowe made a 25- foot putt for a birdie and Caleb made an 8-foot birdie putt to tie.

#8 Kaleiya Romero hit to the edge of the green in two (2) shots and chipped up for an easy birdie. Katherine Zhu made a clutch 35-foot downhill putt to tie the hole.

#9 Franky Sumcad sunk a 20-foot birdie putt to win the hole and four (4) skins.

A special thanks is due to Eric Lee who donated an extra $50 for each birdie that was made which equated to initial an additional $500.

Overall, Silver Creek Valley Country Club member supporters were able to raise $4,795 for First Tee – Silicon Valley and Youth on Course. The players demonstrated great skill, and all the attendees were in awe of the vast distances they all could hit the ball.

Recap Provided by Organizer Wayne Kumagai

If you would like to organize a fundraiser to benefit FTSV, please contact Development Director Judy Dixon Deaton – [email protected].

FTSV Kids vs. Parents Tournament

Thank you to the all the First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) kids and parents who took part in our first-ever Kids vs Parents tournament on November 11^th at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course. FTSV kids competed against their parents in this 9-hole stroke play contest. The kids played a scramble format, while the parents played an alternate shot format. It was great to see all of the kids working together as well as the parents throughout the round. We used a Ryder Cup-style scoring – each match was worth one point, with matches ending in a tie worth ½ point to each side. The kids controlled the tournament by winning 8 out of the 10 matches for a final score of 8-2. The low round of the tournament was a 29 turned in by Ben and Liliana Hughes.

We had two course contests – hole #1 was closest-to-the-pin and hole #4 was longest drive. Congrats to our winners from each level:

Parents Long Drive: Mark Johnson

Parents Closest-to-the-Pin: Nate Kassel

Kids Long Drive: Ben Hughes

Kids Closest-to-the-Pin: Beatrice de la Rosa

There were plenty of highlights during the tournament, but the hole that stood out the most was hole #2 where we gave the kids an advantage by allowing them to use a nerf bow and arrow to put their tee shot as close to the pin as possible. The parents also got to have some fun on hole #6 by spinning the random club wheel to determine what they will hit their tee shot with. We look forward to hosting this tournament again and implementing more gimmicky play ideas.

The tournament concluded with a pizza party, awards, and a raffle. It was great seeing families meeting one another and FTSV participants making new friends. Congratulations to all of our participants for competing with respect, integrity, and sportsmanship.

Join us for the next Tournament

Save the date for our next round of tournaments on February 24^th, 2024. Contact Tanner Riley at [email protected] or call (650)-887-7048 for more information. We will release our next event flyer around mid-January. Stay tuned!