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On Saturday, June 1st The First Tee of Silicon Valley participated in the Alum Rock Union School District’s (ARUSD) Parent University Family Fun Day.  In addition, the San Jose Police Department Summer Kick Off event was combined with the Parent University to bring over 700 people from the Alum Rock community to connect them with city resources and services. TFTSV set up golf games and an information table for students and parents to play and learn more about our program from our bilingual staff. The events at Arbuckle Elementary also included organized family activities, health screenings, and a resource fair. “TFTSV are proud partners with ARUSD and we are grateful for the invitation to present our program to the ARUSD community.” Said TFTSV Program Manager Chris Moreno-Hunt. “We are committed to reaching out to our communities, opening our doors, and making golf more accessible for everyone.”

It can be hard to find time to volunteer, especially with how busy life can be. The benefits to you, your family, and your community are enormous. The more you volunteer, the more you’ll receive in return. Volunteering at TFTSV provides an amazing opportunity to meet many interesting people, whether it be participants, parents, or coaches. You interact with people who share your interests, which strengthens your ties to the community. Volunteering is also good for your mind and body. First, it helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. By connecting with members of our organization, you take your mind off your own worries and develop a reliable support system. Volunteering also makes you happy – being helpful towards others delivers pleasure because we are naturally hard-wired to give to others. By doing good for the participants, more specifically building character, instilling life-enhancing values, and promoting healthy choices, you feel a sense of accomplishment. This builds self-confidence and gives you a sense of identity. The better you feel about yourself, the more positive you will view your life and future goals. Volunteering at the TFTSV also entails constant walking and movement, which results in a smaller likelihood of developing high blood pressure and lessens symptoms of chronic pain. All in all, volunteering, especially at our organization, is an exciting, fulfilling way to explore your passions. It gives you a healthy opportunity to escape from your daily routine and provides you with renewed creativity and motivation that can carry over to other areas of your life. We are looking for volunteer coaches as well as administrative volunteers. Click on the “Contact Us” button on our website to get started. Be sure to select ‘Volunteering’ as your area of interest.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley (TFTSV) is thrilled by the selection of Ralph Kho to play in this year’s PURE Insurance Championship benefitting The First Tee at Pebble Beach on Friday, September 27th to Sunday, September 29th. He is one of 78 participants selected from across the nation. Ralph is a long-time participant in TFTSV’s program and is well on his way to certifying at the Ace level, our highest level. Not only has he been dedicated to progressing through TFTSV’s program, but he has also been generous by giving back to the TFTSV “family” in a variety of ways, including as a Junior Coach and volunteer at many TFTSV events over the years. Ralph is truly a fine young man with a very bright future. He will be a senior at Junipero Serra High School this fall. Ralph’s selection for the event is very timely given his pioneering, TFTSV class history at Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, The Golf Club at Moffett Field, and now Baylands Golf Links (formerly Palo Alto Muni). He was one of TFTSV’s first participants as we expanded our classes to Palo Alto, then temporarily relocated our classes to Moffett Field during the construction of Baylands. TFTSV returned its classes to Baylands last summer and is endeavoring to make an investment to the facility in the form of a learning center and improvements to the range and practice areas. “Ralph should be extremely proud (and excited!) not only by his selection to play in this tournament, but also by his dedication to TFTSV as it made — and continues to expand — its place in the greater Palo Alto area. Go Ralph!” said George Maxe, President and CEO of The First Tee of Silicon Valley.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley (TFTSV) received a $3,500 Grant from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) to underwrite our new STEM class initiative and a $3,500 Grant to underwrite financial assistance for low income participants.  SVB supports their employees’ passion for community giving by offering employees the opportunity to apply for SVB Foundation grants on behalf of nonprofit organizations for which they actively volunteer. SVB also matches an employee’s personal donations to nonprofit organizations of their choice. Reka Mishra, Director of EPMO Center of Excellence at SVB Financial Group, was drawn to TFTSV’s efforts to develop youth throughout Silicon Valley, transforming their lives and giving them a brighter future. She is proud to be a TFTSV Board Ambassador of a community benefit organization that’s mission impacts the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Reka said, “Being a golfer and advocate for STEM, I was very interested in supporting TFTSV’s innovative platform to offer under-served youth the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally while exposing them to STEM concepts for improved career choices.” Matt Crismond, Vice President – Leveraged Finance, was first drawn to TFTSV as a volunteer coach in the Summer of 2018. Dating back to when he was a summer counselor at a local golf camp, he saw the importance of providing kids with a supportive environment in which they could not only practice and play golf, but more noticeably develop self-confidence, social skills, and healthy lifestyles that they take far beyond the course. Today, Matt is a proud TFTSV Board Ambassador and plans to continue to be a volunteer coach in the future. When talking about TFTSV Matt said, “Seeing the transformation and growth of the kids from the beginning of an 8-week session to the end is by far the most rewarding part of being part of this great organization!”. Silicon Valley is a global leader, in large part, through the genius and hard work of its scientists, engineers and innovators. However, comparatively under-served students do not pursue expertise in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics because they have not had positive exposure. Due to a high demand for these jobs and shortage of a skilled workforce for these disciplines, TFTSV believes it is important to expand our curriculum to provide opportunities and encourage youth engagement in STEM.

It was another amazing Open golf tournament at Cinnabar Hills Golf Course on June 21^st, which allowed us to raise $186K net.  Thank you to our presenting sponsor EY; hosting sponsors PGA TOUR Superstore and Hallagan-Huston Family Foundation, in addition to contributing sponsors PwC, Green Valley Corp./Swenson, and DeWinter Group; plus the many hole and foursome supporters.  See our Open program for a full list of this year’s supporters. Both the weather and pace of play were perfect, which set the stage for a very enjoyable day for our 160 players.  The day kicked off with a speech by Ashley sharing her experiences from our new STEM class and giving tips to the players.  Players enjoyed a BBQ lunch donated by Que It Up and beverages donated by Reyes Coca Cola and Anheuser-Busch. Post tournament activities featured Mitch Juricich of Hooked on Golf as our emcee, as well Dinner, Awards, and Silent and Live Auctions.  Andres spoke to the attendees about his journey from Columbia to the United States and how The First Tee of Silicon Valley has impacted him over the past seven years as a financial assistance participant. The tournament’s Fund-A-Need focused on underwriting financial assistance for our STEM classes, which launched this past year from funds raised at last year’s Open.  Our new initiative introduces STEM concepts through golf which are developmentally appropriate curriculum using golf activities as a way for our participants to explore how science, technology, engineering, and math connect to and impact our Nine Golf Fundamentals. We provide affordable access to all youth 2nd through 12th grade while focusing on the under-served, at risk by offering financial assistance. We need your help to continue growing our program.  Please consider underwriting one or more participant. Mark your calendars for next year’s Open on Friday, June 19, 2020.  Please contact Judy Dixon for sponsorship opportunities –[email protected] or 408-508-4481. Check out all the pics in the 2019 Open Album on Facebook #TFTSVOpen.

The First Tee of Silicon Valley was pleased to continue our 10+ year partnership with San Jose Country Club and be the beneficiary of the 93rd Ernie Pieper Santa Clara County Championship held on June 1^st and 2nd at San Jose Country Club. The donation is designated for a Student Athlete Award to help a highly competitive TFTSV Junior golfer pay for competitions as a means to ultimately play collegiate-golf. The TFTSV is pleased to announce that Borina Sutikto will be the recipient of this year’s $1,000 Student Athlete Award. She is in the 10th grade at Connecting Waters Charter School with a 4.0 GPA and +2.0 USGA Golf Handicap Index. Borinia started with TFTSV at age 8 in January 2012 and is currently in the ACE level program and volunteering as a Junior Coach. When asked if attending college and playing collegiate golf is something she would like to do, Borina shared how learning about The First Tee Core Value: Perseverance has impacted her growth and goal setting. She said, “Attending college and playing collegiate golf has been my dream since I started my golf lessons with The First Tee of Silicon Valley.” Please join us in congratulating the 93rd Ernie Pieper Santa Clara County Championship champions! Championship Division – Kevin Velo,  San Jose State  -11 Senior Division – Corey West, Green Hills CC  +3 Super Senior – Ron Johnson, Diablo CC  +9 Participants and volunteers from The First Tee of Silicon Valley greeted and cheered on the competitors while helping with live scoring of the event and were standard bearers for final rounds.

TFTSV has a new and improved storage area and outside classroom patio that was completed in May. The use of this additional area will help us to grow our program and serve more youth in the East San Jose area at our Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course class location. This is just one of many TFSV -facilitated donation that TFTSV would like to make to improve Rancho for everyone, not just our participants. The Rotary Club of San Jose Foundation awarded TFTSV a Community Grant of $5,144. to purchase a new storage shed for our class equipment and donated golf clubs.  The Foundation was founded in 1949 to support the charitable activities of the Rotary Club of San Jose, it has given more than $5,000,000 to many important local and international projects as well as direct grants to over 150 other community organizations. We feel very fortunate to have been selected and appreciate Rotary’s acknowledgement of the good things happening for San Jose youth at Rancho. Galante Brothers General Engineering, Inc., through the generosity of Jack Galante, donated $7,500 of in-kind services and asphalt to upgrade the service area south of the Rancho clubhouse that was rough terrain of gravel and dirt. The now beautiful resurfaced area is home to the new shed and an expanded gathering spot with bleachers which will make it easier to conduct pre- and post-class meetings with our participants. Galante Brothers is known for their beautification of youth sports facilities in the community and we truly appreciate their work.  

The First Tee of Silicon Valley (TFTSV) has strengthened our partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County CORAL afterschool program by delivering our DRIVE curriculum to Anne Darling Elementary. Anne Darling Elementary joins the other Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County CORAL afterschool programs; Washington Elementary, Franklin Elementary, and Empire Gardens Elementary. Anne Darling’s staff began delivering the DRIVE program-which teaches our Nine Core Values and four golf fundamentals through golf activities- to their afterschool participants in early May. Anne Darling Elementary is a Title 1 public school located 5 minutes from our affiliated golf course, Rancho Del Pueblo in San Jose. Over 400 participants attend the school and close to 100 participants attend their afterschool program. The TFTSV DRIVE program includes 18 activity plans designed in a way that allows for indoor and outdoor set up to fit a variety of locations such as gymnasiums, basketball courts, baseball, football, and soccer fields.  Training, staff support and equipment is provided so anyone can deliver DRIVE regardless of their golf knowledge. To find out if DRIVE will be a good fit for your organization or school, contact our Program Manager, Chris Moreno-Hunt.

TFTSV’S Summer class registration is the highest ever topping 500! Here’s how we did it. On Saturday, May 11th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted a free golf introduction class for students interested in trying out golf and learning about TFTSV classes. Students learned how to apply Perseverance through two of our golf games and worked on our Golf Fundamentals. TFTSV will host two additional golf introduction classes, one before each 9-week season.  Our next golf introduction class will take place on Saturday, August 10^th from 10am-12pm at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course followed by Saturday, November 9^th. TFTSV also coordinates field trips at Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course for our current DRIVE schools where students experience their first on-golf course exposure and a typical TFTSV class. DCP Alum Rock, and Franklin Elementary recently completed their field trips while Cesar Chavez Elementary, and Washington Elementary will have their field trip later this month. TFTSV’s school program will reach >6,000 youth in 2019. Our golf introduction classes and field trips have been a highlight for our coaches. Each class or field trip we have seen the participants find joy and excitement. For some, the excitement comes from playing our games with their friends, to hitting a ball further than they thought they could, while for others the excitement comes from simply being in a new environment and trying something they originally did not think was open to them. One of our golf intro participants said to one of his coaches, “I have to be honest with you, I didn’t think I was going to like this sport or be any good, but I have to say, I’m actually pretty good at this!” Our response was “you never know what you will like or be good at unless you try it.” That is the point of our classes, try it out and see if it clicks. TFTSV’s Golf Intro Classes and Field Trips are part of our concerted effort to meet the high, growing demand for classes while showcasing Rancho as a community gathering place. For more information on our golf introduction classes or our school field trips please contact us at 408-508-4884.

On May 18^th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our Girls Golf Spring Play Day.  With 23 Girls Golf members, we enjoyed nine holes of team scramble golf.  With the theme being Nine Core Values, the girls were given a scavenger hunt scorecard where they would check off various acts of golf etiquette, a form of courtesy and respect.  These acts ranged from encouraging peers to raking random footprints in the sand. The day concluded with brunch and carnival games with a golf twist.  Thank you to all our female participants and volunteers for participating and playing fast, safe, and courteous! Girls Golf Play Days are beneficial events where our female participants enjoy an all-female environment.  Our participants experience a day of empowerment, healthy habits, and activities to promote positive self-esteem and friendship.

On May 18^th, The First Tee of Silicon Valley hosted our annual Chapter Championship tournament.  With a full field of 36 players, The First Tee participants competed in a nine-hole stroke play format including long drive and closest to the pin.  The theme of day was the Nine Core Values.  Every participant put their core values to the test in the wet conditions. “I had to use perseverance the most because how rainy it was.  Not every student has played in the rain before.  It was tough, but a fun day.” – Isabella Herrera The 2019 TFTSV Chapter Championship is a valuable event where the students learn to compete while utilizing the Nine Core Values.  The individual format is a great way for our students to learn how to deal with competition while using sportsmanship.  We hope these tournaments help our students feel more confident in engaging conversation with others in a tournament setting.

Thanks to corporate partners and generous donors, The First Tee is able to offer a variety of educational and leadership opportunities for participants each year. These events often become life-changing experiences for our participants as they further develop an awareness of possibilities that surround them. Rishi Ajjarapu and Thai Hoang have been selected to attend the 2019 Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. Life Skills and Leadership Academy held July 24-30, 2019 in Boise, Idaho. The purpose is to develop and educate our participants in multiple aspects such as life skill development through engaging golf activities, college preparatory and dorm living, and career exploration, all while having the opportunity to play championship golf and develop lifelong friendships. Through the week they are inspired to consider how they can return to their communities and be a leader and role model for other participants. Rishi said, “I am thrilled to be accepted and I look forward to making new friends and meeting people from across the nation. I am also excited to be given a glimpse of college life at Boise State, I think that this will help me especially when I am applying to colleges in the fall. I hope to learn skills that will make me a better junior coach and leader in my community!” Thai said, “This opportunity is a chance for me to explore new ways to be a leader. I hope to learn new ways to communicate with others while improving my leadership skills.” Rachana Ajjarapu was one of 24 girls selected for the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy held June 24-28, 2019.  She shared, “I’m really excited and grateful to be able to attend this event. I can’t wait to interact with and learn from First Tee girls and professionals outside of Silicon Valley.” This all-girls event will focus on leadership development, remaining active in the game of golf, learning the value/impact of volunteerism, and recognizing the importance of teamwork.  Applicants will be asked to define the people or circumstances that ‘drive’ them to take on a position of leadership and describe how they plan to apply those principles in their life. The academy will take place in the city of San Francisco, where participants will be immersed in both its historic and modern culture. TPC Harding Park, site of the 2020 PGA Championship and 2025 President’s Cup, will serve as the host venue. Coach Matt exclaimed, “We are very proud of our local participants for putting in the hard work to be accepted to these wonderful national opportunities. It will be a great chance for them to advance their interpersonal and self-management skills. We are pleased to have these participants represent The First Tee of Silicon Valley!”