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We’re so proud of our alumnus, Jack Jaffe, who gives back to the community as the Founder of Recycled Golf Gear by Jack. He is Ace-certified in our program and currently attends Santa Clara University. Bring your used clubs to the PGA TOUR Superstore in East Palo Alto on Saturday, March 31st from 11am to 3pm. Collecting used clubs enables Jack and Recycled Golf Gear to continue to contribute to supporting junior golf organizations in Northern California.  Bring your used clubs to the PGA TOUR Superstore (1751 East Bayshore Road, East Palo Alto, CA  94303) on Saturday, March 31^st from 11AM to 3PM and receive a raffle ticket + a $20 off/$60 PGATSS coupon.  Putting contests and Power clinics will be held throughout the event.

• Club donations: full sets, usable drivers/putters/fairway metals, golf bags, and  iron sets
• Club donors will receive 1 raffle ticket/person/donation + $20OFF$60 (PGATSS coupon)
• Raffle prizes: foursomes at several different courses

More information can be found at the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/211013656153650/

How about hosting a Trivia Party?

Board Director, Ron Hallagan, and Development Director, Judy Dixon, hosted friends and neighbors at a The First Tee Trivia Gathering at Almaden Country Club in December. The goal was simple: have some fun while educating people about The First Tee and to perhaps inspire them to support our wonderful organization. The event accomplished both objectives. “Most people had heard of The First Tee but didn’t really understand The First Tee’s mission and history. Our 18-Hole Trivia Contest was a way to both educate and entertain our guests in a very fun and informal environment,” Ron stated. “The First Tee mantra of ‘More Than A Game’ resonated with people and they especially liked the focus on the Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits and hearing a couple testimonials from our participants,” Ron added. The gathering resulted in approximately $15,000 of gifts made to The First Tee of Silicon Valley over the holidays. “The gifts were wonderful, but knowing we helped inform and inspire about 20 more people about The First Tee is what really counts,” Judy noted. “We’d love to see some of these people host their own The First Tee Trivia event sometime this year,” Judy concluded. Our positive youth development programs works! The young people we mentor behave better, get better grades, and are healthier than their peers.  Help us spread the word so we can offer financial aid to more low-income participants that require financial aid. We need your generous support to continue shaping youth into high quality adults and to keep our classes accessible and affordable. If you would like to host a Trivia Gathering of your own, please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon, at [email protected]

The amount of self-confidence a child possesses will affect every aspect of his or her educational and personal goals. If a child loses confidence in school, his or her grades will ultimately be affected. When self-confidence suffers, a child may give up on his or her hopes, dreams, and plans. They may feel they are unworthy of obtaining their goals or think it is impossible to achieve them. Building confidence in youth can help prevent student dropout rates, ensure kids maintain their love for learning, and help them achieve their dreams and goals by staying in school and going to college. There is no question that the relationship between confidence and educational success is tightly intertwined. One of the best ways to improve confidence is to engage kids in various self-esteem activities. By boosting self-esteem in youth, children who may come from less than desirable home settings can learn skills that foster a sense of community and respect. Parents that have violence in the home, or use negative words when speaking to their children, may not realize the damage that is being inflicted upon a child’s self-esteem. In these situations, it is imperative that children are exposed to educators or other mentors who are a positive influence and help build the child’s confidence. No matter what a child’s home life or personal experiences, it is never too late to begin building confidence in youth. By doing so, you may be influencing a child in more ways than you could ever imagine. The First Tee of Silicon Valley fosters confidence in youth grades 1-12 through our Nine Core Values curriculum. We surround our participants with positive and affirming mentoring that directly impacts their confidence. Confidence plays a key role in the level of play that one achieves. Players can increase confidence in their abilities by being positive and focusing on something they are doing well regardless of the outcome.   Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization.   Source:  http://www.edu-nova.com/articles/student-confidence/

Movies and television depict heroes who have a strong mind. We admire people who push the limits. The reality is we must be strong-minded if we are to overcome the obstacles we meet every day. We know that it takes more than talent or skill to become a top performer. Research studies indicate that intelligence accounts for only 30% of our achievement. What does make a good leader, athlete or student? The answer is a strong mind that pushes through adversity. It is an inner quality that enables youth to work hard and stick to their goals. The good news is that a strong mind is not something you were born with. It is something that can be developed. The secret characteristics heroes with a strong mind possess and embody are Confidence, Persistence, Dedication and Control. If you are strong-minded, you express these attitudes and skills on a daily basis, no matter what is happening in your life.   You aren’t afraid to try new hobbies or place yourself in situations where you might fail.  One of the best ways to develop a strong mind and build your confidence is to learn a different skill-set. The First Tee of Silicon Valley teaches Nine Healthy Habits through the game of golf. We believe the Mind is a powerful tool for health. One’s mind influences his/her emotions and behaviors and can be utilized for self-improvement, building confidence and maintaining perspective.  Consider registering your child in a class, becoming a volunteer or supporting our non-profit youth development organization. Source: https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2017/10/4-secrets-strong-mind

On Saturday, February 10th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted Go Green at Gavilan College Golf Course. A group of TFTSV participants and Aptitud Community Academy students spent the day learning new things, getting dirty, and having fun. Our friends at Our City Forest came out again this year to help us plant 12 beautiful trees all along hole #4’s fairway. Participants learned all the proper steps in how to plant a tree from digging the hole to tickling the roots to post pounding. After the trees were all planted, we took a break to recharge and enjoy some delicious fruit generously donated by Casa de Fruta and the Zanger family. We then ended the day with a rotation through three 20-minute stations. Station 1 was run by TFTSV Ace participant, Sapna, who brought a STEM aspect to the day with several small robots that included a windmill, robotic animals, and a golf swing replicator. Station 2 featured our friends from Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center. They introduced us to some of their animal educational ambassadors – Violet, the opossum; Lazarus, the gopher snake; and Apollo, the American Kestrel. Gary and Gary from Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative hosted Station 3 with their interactive water and soil experiments. Thank you to everyone who attended, our wonderful vendors, and Gavilan College Golf Course for hosting us!  

Please join me in thanking Armando Lugo for his many years of dedication and impact to The First Tee of Silicon Valley and our youth. His last day on our staff was Saturday, January 20th. Armando was a Program Coordinator and a The First Tee Recognized Coach. He coordinated our outreach efforts in schools, especially those of Alum Rock USD and Rocketship Education, to pave the way for many of our future participants. Armando has been an outstanding Coach to hundreds of youth. He has a natural gift for coaching in a fun, engaging and informative way. Thank you, Armando! — George Maxe, Executive Director

The First Tee of Silicon Valley would like to thank Palo Alto Hills Country Club for their welcoming hospitality in hosting one of our Treks. Participants, Gracie and Juliana, were able to play a fun round of golf with Board Directors – Dean Sivara (VP, Innovation & Digital Transformation at SAP) and Ben Heben (CFO at Chronicle, an independent company within Alphabet).

The First Tee of Silicon Valley greatly appreciates the hospitality of La Rinconada Country Club for hosting our Q4 Board Meeting. General Manager, Tom Schunn, welcomed our Directors and described the club’s latest news and membership facts. Directors were treated to lunch in a private room for the 3-hour meeting. San Jose County Club and Palo Alto Hills Country Club hosted Board Meetings earlier in 2017.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley was one of just ten chapters to receive the 2016 Ace Award for its overall performance. Each year, all of the over 150 chapters in The First Tee Network must comply with about ten requirements and report on about another 20 measures to ensure organizational health. Requirements include active policies to ensure participant safety like background checks and measures include participant retention and progression rates. Matt Sheppard (far right), our Program Manager, proudly accepted the Ace Award for us.

The First Tee Outstanding Participant Leadership Summit, expanded from The Outstanding Participant Award supported by Founding Corporate Partner Shell Oil, recognizes exemplary achievement by a young person currently involved in The First Tee program in the areas of academic achievement, community service, chapter involvement, leadership, essay responses and letters of recommendation. The Outstanding Participant Leadership Summit is an interactive and educational event in which teen participants will have the opportunity to develop and hone skills to become leaders at their chapters, schools and communities. The OPLS was held in Orlando as part of and during the November 2017 Network Meeting of The First Tee.

Varsha was one of just eight finalists from the over 150 chapters who attended the Outstanding Participant Leadership Conference. Each of the finalists spoke about one of The First Tee Nine Core Values to the conference’s 1300 guests who attended the gala dinner. Varsha (wearing red below) spoke on Perseverance immediately following inspirational opening reflections on Responsibility by The First Tee’s Honorary Chair, Former President George W. Bush.