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First Tee – Silicon was one of 10 chapters selected for an exciting new grant. The Teen Innovation and Retention Grant will help First Tee chapters in PGA TOUR Superstore markets focus on the retention during the critical teenage years. First Tee is thankful for the support of PGA TOUR Superstore and together we will build experiences that build character to empower kids through a lifetime of challenges. PGA TOUR Superstore and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation have supported First Tee for more than a decade, helping First Tee grow from reaching 260,000 kids in PGA TOUR Superstore markets in 2011 to more than 1.5 million young people in 2019. The $25,000 grant will support our existing initiatives and allow us to expand upon them, including:

• Participant Advisory Committee – form a teen leadership committee which provides input for our staff and Board to create more engagement, interaction and commitment
• Birdie/Eagle STEM – purchase STEM demonstration related gadgets/products for our developmentally appropriate STEM class curriculum which uses golf activities as a way for our teen participants to explore how science, technology, engineering, and math connect to and impact our Nine Golf Fundamentals. STEM classes are set to a problem-solving framework which fosters critical thinking and a deeper understanding of golf while inspiring STEM careers.
• New Technologies – Purchase carts and other equipment to begin using two Telepresence (TP) Units donated by Cisco.These technologies will first be used in teens classes, including STEM. The TP Units are a combo of “Zoom and iPad” for advanced coaching.
• Golf Treks – provide unique opportunities for teen participants to play golf with donors and Board members, including quarterly Board Outings to create more engagement and interaction. Our goal will be to match up teen participants with adults working in fields they are interested in to provide career development and mentoring exchanges.
• Coaching – increase instruction ratio in all existing teen classes and fund the expansion of an additional teen class to ensure that we attract/retain teen participants by offering a higher level of mentoring to prepare them to become candidates for First Tee opportunities, including PGATSS Leadership Series.

FTSV’s teen program is a safe haven that provides structure, direction and intentional mentorship addressing the epidemic of high school dropout rates, aggressive antisocial behaviors and childhood obesity. We fill the opportunity gap and provide inclusion for all teens experiencing challenges associated with poverty and ethnicity in a region with the nation’s second most diverse area. Learn more about getting your teen involved in our program.

Borina & Sophie will showcase golf skills among 48 other teens from across the First Tee network at The Walker Course at Clemson University on June 20-25. Borina Sutikto and Sophie Thai of First Tee – Silicon Valley will compete in the upcoming First Tee National Championship at Clemson University on June 20-25, 2021.  Borinia attends Connecting Waters Charter School and has Rancho Del Pueblo as her home course where she practices, takes lessons and works. Sophie attends Los Altos High School and plays out of numerous public courses including Baylands Golf Links. The first-ever event with a total of 48 players will bring together First Tee’s elite golfers for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate or next level. The tournament was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Borina will be attending Santa Clara University in the Fall and has an offer/scholarship to play on their golf team. She has earned national recognition as a golfer. In 2019, she was named the JGANC Female Player of the Year and Scoring Champion. She has been in our program for over 9 years and has contributed over 170 hours as a volunteer coach for FTSV all while receiving 4 Associate Degrees from San Jose City College. Sophie finished her junior year at Los Altos High where she achieved first team all-league golf honors. She is a highly ranked golfer, is a 2-time Girls Championship flight winner and has logged 3 top 3 finishes in AJGA tournaments which is the top junior golf tour in the nation. She has been in our program for 9 years and has made it to our Ace level. She is an active advocate of our chapter having presented in our fundraisers and in our board meetings. In school she is the Vice President of the National Honor Society. While COVID protocols will be in effect, the 54-hole event will take place and the winners of each girls’ and boys’ divisions will be awarded with the Tattersall Cup and also will earn an exemption into the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee held at Pebble Beach Golf Links September 21-26, 2021. “We are proud to see Borina and Sophie from our area compete in this inaugural event, which will provide them with a college level experience on and off the course” said George Maxe, President & CEO of FTSV.  “Borina and Sophie has been part of our chapter for 9 years. They lead by example and we are delighted to see their growth over the years in character development as well as in level of play.” First Tee National Championship will be held annually at various college campuses around the nation providing First Tee participants the opportunity to network with others from across the country and take in the college experience. Clemson University’s The Walker Course is set to host the inaugural Championship. During the week, Borinia and Sophie will have the opportunity to hear from PGA Head Golf Professional Steve Scott on how his values intersected with his experience of finishing Runner-Up to Tiger Woods in the 1996 U.S. Amateur Championship. The field includes 24 boys and 24 girls, ages 14-19, who were selected based on their golf skill, competitive golf experience and handicap. Players will come from 32 First Tee chapters across the country. First Tee – Silicon Valley is a youth development organization dedicated to helping young people learn life skills and build character through the game of golf. First Tee National Championship is one of more than 10 national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters to empower and motivate teens as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. For more information on First Tee – Silicon Valley, visit www.firstteesiliconvalley.org.  For more information on the tournament and First Tee, visit http://www.firsttee.org/.

FTSV opened registration May 12^th for the Summer Season. Over 300 participants have already registered for the Summer which is already the highest number we have been able to have since COVID 19. The PLAYer level (first level) classes at Rancho Del Pueblo and Baylands Golf Courses are full, but there are still PLAYer level spaces available at Gavilan Golf Course in Gilroy and space for our Par, Birdie, Eagle, and Ace levels at all three golf courses. Register now before they fill up. The summer season will begin June 8^th and end August 7^th. Our team is looking forward to the summer. We are committed towards delivering a program that delivers core life lessons and golf fundamentals, but also creates a space for participants to develop social skills and build tools for social and emotional wellness. Even though golf is mostly an individual sport, it provides opportunities to build relationships, network, and socialize. When playing on the golf course, we get paired with other golfers and get to spend hours on the golf course together. What better way to develop interpersonal skills than on the golf course playing a game with other people? In our class participants practice sportsmanship, compete, and bond over our games and activities on the practice areas and on the golf course. Even though we cannot shake hands like we used to, we still encourage asking open-ended questions to one another. In a time where social interaction has been hindered, we all could use a friendly group setting where we can have fun together and make new friends. To learn more about our group classes and register please visit our youth classes page or call 408-508-4880.

First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to announce the return of the Open Scramble Golf Tournament on Friday, June 11^th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club with a 12pm Shotgun. Registration for foursomes, twosomes and sponsors is available now. The Open is our largest fundraiser tournament so we are pleased to resume it after having to take a year off due to the pandemic. Gather your clients, co-works and friends for a great day of golf and camaraderie for a great cause. Proceeds will help us impact the lives of youth by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. We believe that all kids deserve the change to grow in a supportive environment with mentors guiding them. We are dedicated to building programs that are accessible, welcoming and as impactful as they are fun. There are various ways to support the Open: $20,000 Presenting Sponsor (Registration & Raffle) – co-branded logo on website, socials, newsletters, flyers, signage; full page ad in program plus three foursomes $10,000 Hosting Sponsor (choice of Lunch, Snacks, Beverage) signage on 3 holes, logo on website, newsletter and program plus two foursomes $5,000 Contributing Sponsor – signage on 2 premium contest holes, program logo plus one foursome $2000 Foursome or $1000 Twosome Sponsor – 18-holes golf, individual cart, boxed lunch, tee prizes, on-course beverages and snacks, contests, 10 raffle tickets per player $1000 Hole Sponsor – signage on one hole and program listing Please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon Deaton 408-508-4881 – [email protected] for additional customized sponsorship or underwriting opportunities. All CA and golf course health and safety protocols will be followed. There will be no large dinner awards gathering post tournament. All donations will be collected in advance to create a low contact event.

How do you approach helping others? How do you know when others want or need help? What does it mean to be a leader? These are all questions that the participants get asked through their time in First Tee – Silicon Valley. As participants progress through the program, they learn lessons which reinforce courtesy, build a process for making informed decisions, develop collaborative communication skills, and encourage the practice of learning through listening and asking questions. One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another person has to say. Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, empathy over ego, and others over self. ALR (Ask, Listen, Respond) is a core lesson taught in the Par level which teaches the importance of listening. It is a communication tool that encourages asking open-ended questions with the intent of fully understanding. To be successful with a conversation one must let the “A” and “L” drive the responses, and from a coach’s perspective, drive the advice that is given. Being a leader and showing up for others does not necessarily mean telling people what to do, but instead it is knowing when to listen and how to ask questions. We are fortunate to have around 45% of our volunteer coaches come from our program and want to give back as a coach/mentor. Our junior coaches and alumni are able to use the tools they learned to make an impact, but as activist and author Marge Piercy says, “if you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening.” Showing up for others includes more than coaching and giving back, it can be demonstrated by anyone with the willingness to build a connection, be a teammate, and make a friend. Over 74% of participants in our most recent survey said they made friends and 89% felt part of the group. We can show up for others and help them show up for others by continuing to work towards an environment where everyone feels encouraged to support one another and be part of the group. Join our team to “show up for others” by visiting our volunteer page, or sign up for our program to build the skill set necessary to be there for others.

Caddy Club Members are essential to creating a sense of community support to further the mission of FTSV. Here’s a big shout out to the 230 individuals supporting us as monthly or one-time donors in our 2021 Caddy Club Donor Appreciation Program. One of the benefits of membership is the Caddy Club Majors competition which kicked off today with the Masters – the first of the 4 Major tournaments in addition to the PGA Championship (May 17-23), US Open (June 14-20) and Open Championship (July 12-18). Members can join at any time. Caddy Club Appreciation Program also includes these benefits:

• Welcome token to proudly display at home or work showing your support
• Invitation to participate in our fun Caddy Club Majors competition
• Invitation to attend our quarterly Open Houses
• Invitation to play with participants in our quarterly participant Tournaments
• Invitation to our Caddy Club Champions gathering

Supporter help our participants navigate on and off the golf course. Each individual who commits to a $20+ monthly gift for at least 12 months (or $250+ one-time annual gift) will immediately become part of our Caddy Club and receive special thank yous and invitations to our donor appreciation events. Every $250 cumulative donation you make allows us to offer financial aid to a new under-served, at-risk participant to attend an 8-week class. We need your support to sustain our financial assistance, programs and staff during these challenging times to continue helping all participants regardless of background be the best versions of themselves and have the best shot at success.    

Meet Coach Matt. He has been a staple at First Tee – Silicon Valley for 9 years and played an integral role in making the program what it is today. He thrived in his roles within the organization starting as a volunteer coach and excelling as a Program Instructor, Program Coordinator, and Program Manager. “First Tee means family, growth, and happiness to me,” says Coach Matt. “FTSV has introduced me to wonderful people and helped me form indispensable relationships. The endless fulfilling path of coaching tools, philosophies, and conversations have helped better the lives of my students and myself! It is rewarding see these principles applied to help others experience success and joy. FTSV has helped me become a better person and spread blessings to other people.” “Matt’s shining quality is he cares about others,” says Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “Anyone who has taken his class, chatted with him, or worked with him feels his passion for teaching and empowering everyone to be better versions of themselves. He sees the good in everyone and his infectious positivity and drive to make a difference is, to quote him, truly ‘inspirational.’” Matt is a talented coach who has dedicated much of his time to teaching and building ideal learning environments. In his time with FTSV he played an instrumental role in helping our participants get accepted to national opportunities and scholarships. Additionally, he helped shape our program, and positively impacted thousands of individuals, from participants to parents, volunteers to lead instructors, and office staff to our Board. The world is a better place with Matt in it. We are grateful he is with us and continuing to positively impact the youth in our community. To join our team of coaches like Matt please contact us by filling out this form or contact us at 408-508-4880, [email protected].

13 Ace participants from our chapter were selected to apply for this year’s national First Tee participant opportunities. The 13 were selected based on their activity/engagement in our chapter, their grade, and active duration within the program. Only active Ace participants (our highest level) were able to apply for scholarships and national opportunities.

The national opportunities include FT Game Changers Academy, First Tee Innovators Invitation, Pure Insurance First Tee Open, John Deere Drive Your Future Academy, First Tee National Championship, and the First Tee Leadership Summit to name a few. These opportunities are scattered around the country ranging from Montana to Monterey, from Illinois to South Carolina. Additionally, we had a few participants apply for national scholarships like the First Tee College Scholarship Program, and the John Deere Power Four Good Scholarship. Only a few are eligible to apply for each opportunity and selections will take place throughout the year. Applications include submitting their school resume, extracurricular activities, golf activities, together with essay responses and letters of recommendations.

The application process is rigorous and our participants are competing with top participants from around the country for a small selection of slots. “They have worked hard to showcase their outstanding accomplishments and illustrate the impact First Tee – Silicon Valley has had on their lives” says Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “We wish them luck and are keeping our fingers crossed they get selected. Regardless of the result we are proud of who they are and the work they are putting into the applications and in our program.”

To learn more about the national opportunities as well as our local and regional opportunities please visit our youth opportunities page or call 408-508-4880.

There are times where someone we know struggles to take on a burden alone.  We all eventually experience a situation where our family or close friends need us for comfort, advice, or reassurance.  How we respond in these scenarios can be crucial to their development and ability to overcome a challenge. Now is always the perfect time to become a Go-to-Person!  What does it mean to be a Go-to-Person and how can we be a good Go-to-Person?  This brief First Tee – Silicon Valley Eagle lesson video will give you a glimpse into the importance of being a part of a support network, how you can approach being a good go-to-person, and how being go-to-person can help us in golf as well as in our everyday lives. Go To Person Video The golf community includes a culture of assisting one another. One way to build upon that culture is to connect with others through the sharing of course knowledge, self-management tips, and golf techniques.  Sharing simple golf tips like our golf cue phrase (click the link below), “shaking hands with the coach and elf” can be used to assist people in controlling their distance. You never know, helping someone with a swing tip can be a great start to a budding friendship and a bond for life. Handshake Video