2021 Archives - Page 4 of 7 - First Tee

Summer of Opportunity!

Every year participants from our Ace level are selected to apply for the First Tee National opportunities. Competition for the opportunities is high and spaces are limited. To be selected, applicants must meet the requirements set forth by First Tee National, and must write several short essays, add in their accomplishments in and out of the classroom, and include their letters of recommendations. Applicants from across the country apply for the limited spaces and recipients get to experience opportunities of a life time. This year we are thrilled to announce the acceptance of 9 of our Ace participants: Kelly, Borina, Rachel, Sophie, Jonathan, Nancy, Rachana, Athina, and Calvin (pictures shown left to right) to various First Tee National opportunities. Borina Sutikto and Sophie Thai were accepted to the inaugural First Tee National Championship held at Clemson University Golf Course June 20-25. They tied for 2^nd place with a three-day total of 1 over par! Congratulations to Sophie and Borina for their outstanding golf accomplishment. Click here to learn more. In June, Athina Chen, Rachana Ajjarapu, and Kelly Yu were all accepted to the Game Changers Academy to be held July 20^th-24^th in Philadelphia, PA. Throughout the four days they will take part in workshops exploring topics that encourage personal growth and promote understanding of diversity concepts that foster positive change in the community. Click here to learn more. Last week we received word that Nancy Rivera and Jonathan Tessmann were accepted to the First Tee Leadership Summit in West Creek Montana. The weeklong event in August will include collaborative workshops as well as dynamic outdoor team-building activities that will explore concepts of relationship building, positive risk taking, and identifying character strengths. Click here to learn more. Earlier this season, Borina Sutikto was one of 12 high school graduates selected from around the country (over 250 program locations nationwide) to the First Tee College Scholarship Program. The Scholarship Program supports alumni throughout their college career in an effort to further their life skill development and mentorship. The need and merit-based program provides scholarships up to $5,000 per year, renewable for up to four years of college admission. The program also provides professional development workshops, and access to internships and full-time employment placement post-graduation. Click here to read the full story and to watch the surprise video. Lastly, we learned earlier this week that four of our FTSV Ace participants were selected to the PURE Insurance Tournament supporting First Tee at historic Pebble Beach Golf Course in Monterey, CA. Rachel Troung, Calvin Kong, Sophie Thai, and Borina Sutikto were 4 of 81 top First Tee golfers from around the country selected to participate in this prestigious event. Acceptance to the PURE Insurance Championship is based heavily on their golf acumen and resume coupled with their demonstration of strong character. Each participant is paired with a top senior professional tour golfer and the tournament is televised on Golf Channel. Click here to learn more. “We are proud and excited to have Borina, Sophie, Nancy, Jonathan, Athina, Rachana, Kelly, Calvin, and Rachel represent our chapter at these national opportunities,” says First Tee – Silicon Valley Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “We are fortunate to have had all 9 in our program over the years and be able to watch them develop their self-management, interpersonal, and resiliency skills. They all have a positive demeanor, show care for others, and work extremely hard to be successful. What more can you ask for!” Please join us in congratulating our participants for their outstanding achievement. Acceptance to these opportunities is a product of the work they put in and the commitment they demonstrated to progress through our program. To find out more regarding our local, regional, and national opportunities please visit our youth opportunity page.

FTSV’s Athina, Rachana and Kelly Selected for Game Changers Academy

Athina Chen, Rachana Ajjarapu, and Kelly Yu from First Tee — Silicon Valley have been selected to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. in Philadelphia, July 20-24, 2021. They are three of 48 teens from the First Tee network who have been selected for the five-day learning and empowerment academy and will participate in critical conversations around issues of identity, racism, equity and empathy. Athina is a rising Senior at Henry Gunn High School and has been part of FTSV for 9 years and volunteered for 2 years. She is an Ace participant which is our top level. She has also finished her Ace project work and is pending review from First Tee National to become Ace certificated which only a handful of participants from around the country achieve each year. She is the founder of the Socially Responsible Investment Fund club at her school and wants to contribute towards transforming the world of finance to make it more diverse and inclusive specifically for women of color. Rachana is a rising Junior at Monta Vista High School and has been in our program for 8 years. She is an Ace participant and an active volunteer coach for our chapter since 2018. Outside of our program she is a member of Athletes Against Assault with the goal of promoting change within her school and community culture around safety, especially women’s safety. Kelly is a going to attend Boston College in the Fall and is Ace certified (our top honor and level). She has been in our program for 10 years and has volunteer coached for our chapter since 2017. At school she is the Director of Outreach at Coalition Z which is working to engage youth in politics and social justice. All three FTSV participants are leaders in and outside of our program and are taking action in their communities to be positive difference makers,” says FTSV Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “Acceptance in the Game Changers Academy will provide valuable lessons and experiences which will equip them with the tools to give back and make positive change. We are proud of who they are and how they want to make this world a better place, and we are excited to see them pursue their goals in order to shape the future.” “Diversity, equity and inclusion have been part of the fabric of First Tee since the beginning, and we are proud to provide an event that allows teens from across the country to go deeper on the subject,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “First Tee is about empowering these young people to be game changers in their community. Congratulations to Athina, Rachana, and Kelly for being selected from a national pool of candidates to represent First Tee — Silicon at this event.” The event will feature engaging and interactive workshops facilitated by RISE, a national nonprofit and leader in the sports community championing social justice and working to improve race relations. The workshops will explore a multitude of topics that encourage personal growth and understanding of diversity concepts that foster positive change in the community. The workshops will be paired with reflections led by nationally trained First Tee coaches, team building activities such as a scavenger hunt in the city of Philadelphia and a community outreach project, and keynote speakers from the sports industry including Vice-President, Community & Inclusion for the PGA TOUR Marsha Oliver. First Tee – Greater Philadelphia will host the teens for golf outings at John F. Byrne Golf Course where they will continue to build upon their connections with other participants from around the country and hear different perspectives from their peers. First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters designed to inspire and encourage high school students on a deeper level as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. The Academy honors First Tee’s former CEO, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., who led the organization from 2000 until his retirement in 2017. Congratulations Athina, Rachana, and Kelly!

FTSV Participants Jonathan and Nancy Selected for 2021 FT Leadership Summit

First Tee is partnering with PGA TOUR Superstore to host a first-of-its-kind, annual Leadership Summit August 2-13 at PGA TOUR Superstore Chairman and PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation Board Member Arthur M. Blank’s West Creek Ranch in Montana. Forty teenagers from across the country have been selected for the inaugural Summit. Two of the forty are going to be from First Tee – Silicon Valley. Congratulations to FTSV Ace participants, Jonathan Tessmann and Nancy Rivera for being selected!

The First Tee Leadership Summit is designed to strengthen the participants’ leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities with the intended purpose of personal growth, education and coming together to make a difference. The robust curriculum explores concepts such as relationship building, positive risk taking, and identifying character strengths. Set in the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana, the teens will participate in outdoor activities such as fly fishing, yoga, meditation, horseback riding, archery, whitewater rafting and hiking, in which they will be encouraged to apply their learnings.

A former NFL player and motivational speaker will be a featured guest speaker along with leaders from PGA TOUR Superstore’s headquarters, including CEO and President Dick Sullivan. At the conclusion of the Summit, four students will be selected for the First Tee College Scholarship Program and will receive financial support as well as access to mentorship and professional development opportunities throughout their four-year collegiate experience.

To be eligible for the Summit, teens were required to participate in the five-week Leadership Series that was hosted at PGA TOUR Superstores across the country this past spring. Teens also completed applications and were selected based on character-driving criteria.

Jonathan, a Sophomore at Gilroy Early College Academy in Gilroy, has been in the First Tee – Silicon Valley program since 2012. In fact, he was part of the first ever First Tee participant group at Gavilan Golf Course in Gilroy. In addition to excelling as one of our participants, he has volunteered as a junior coach since 2017 and is one of our go-to coaches at Gilroy. He is also the Vice President of his school’s debate club.

Nancy, a rising Senior at University Preparatory Academy in San Jose, has been in the First Tee – Silicon Valley program since 2017. She has taken more classes than any other FTSV participant over the past 4 years, and has succeeded at each and every First Tee level. She is also ambitious in shaping and supporting her community. She is the President of her school’s Latinx club which puts on community service events and fundraisers rooted in community development and enhancement. Additionally, she volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, San Jose Litter Pick-Up, and cooks for and passes out food at a local homeless shelter.

“Both Jonathan and Nancy are outstanding and worthy recipients of the leadership summit opportunity,” says FTSV Program Director, Chris Moreno-Hunt. “They were standouts at our 5-part leadership series and are leaders both in their First Tee classes and in their communities. They have demonstrated a desire to give back as evident by their extensive volunteer engagements. We are proud of who they are, and how hard they work to make themselves and their community better.”

“This Summit will become a life-changing experience for the students to expand their horizons, meet new people and learn more about themselves,” said Dick Sullivan, President & CEO, PGA TOUR Superstore. “It will be a memorable week for them to learn additional leadership skills and I am looking forward to being a part of this special event.”

“Congratulations to the 40 deserving teens selected for this inaugural event,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “It will be an inspiring week of learning and personal growth. We are grateful to Arthur Blank and PGA TOUR Superstore for supporting our mission as we work to empower the next generation through intentional and innovative opportunities like the First Tee Leadership Summit.”

For more than a decade, PGA TOUR Superstore and Mr. Blank have championed First Tee’s mission through charitable and in-kind donations across the country. In September 2020, PGA TOUR Superstore announced a new grant that will help First Tee reach more youth across the U.S. and strengthen its curriculum for teenage participants, including the development of the Leadership Series and Summit.

The Leadership Summit is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee Headquarters to inspire and equip teens on a deeper level as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. Congratulations Jonathan and Nancy on a well-deserved honor!

Borina Selected to First Tee College Scholarship Program

Borina Sutikto is one of twelve high school graduates selected to the First Tee College Scholarship Program based on academic performance, length and involvement in First Tee programs, financial need and commitment to volunteerism. This class of scholars includes aspiring engineers, accountants, teachers and environmental activists, all of whom will be attending stand out colleges and universities. Selected from a national pool of candidates, the Scholars represent diverse backgrounds from communities across the First Tee network. The class is comprised of eight females and four males and 59% are ethnically diverse. The Scholars’ average GPA is 4.19 on a 4.0 scale and hold an average of 1,422 out of 1,600 on SAT and 31 out of 36 on ACT. Five of the Scholars will play on their college’s golf team. Borina Sutikto is a 9-year First Tee – Silicon Valley participant, and 3-year FTSV volunteer coach. She is graduating with a 4.25 GPA and plans to study Accounting & Information Systems while playing on the women’s golf team at Santa Clara University. Go Borina! Go Broncos! “I offer congratulations and a warm welcome to our new class of First Tee College Scholars,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of First Tee. “I am proud to continue First Tee’s support of these students at such an important time in their lives – through their matriculation and beyond. These outstanding young leaders remind us how bright the future is for them and for the industries and communities they will eventually serve. We are appreciative of donors to the First Tee College Scholarship Program who make this program possible.” Applications were received from participants at 44 chapters in 28 states across the nation. Following an online application process, finalists were selected by a committee for one-on-one interviews. First Tee College Scholarship Program extends its impact to alumni by providing support throughout their post-graduate career. Each of the scholars are paired with a dedicated, trained adult mentor who will help encourage and guide them throughout the college experience, including virtual and in-person meetups. The program also provides professional development workshops held in-person throughout the year. First Tee College Scholarship Program is made possible by donors and corporate partners who stand behind the program and First Tee’s mission, including Astros Golf Foundation, Peter A. Bonanni Scholarship Fund, Chevron Corporation, A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, Timothy W. Finchem Scholarship Fund, Paul and Ruth Flowers, Morrell Studios, Charles Schwab, TruGreen, Edward and Lisa Vaughan and Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund. Congratulations Borina on your well-deserved honor! We are fortunate to have you in our program and have you give back to the program through your coaching. We are excited for your academic future!

FTSV Participants Rachel, Calvin, Sophie and Borina Selected for PURE Insurance Championship

First Tee and PGA TOUR Champions announced today Rachel Truong, Calvin Kong, Sophie Thai, and Borina Sutikto will represent First Tee — Silicon Valley when they compete in the 2021 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee. The event, in its 18th year, will bring teens from First Tee chapters to Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course for the PGA TOUR Champions tournament, September 20-26. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, is televised nationally on Golf Channel. Rachel will start her college journey at Chapman University this Fall. She has been in our program since 2017, volunteered for 3 years, and has quickly become an accomplished golfer. She played for her high school team at Piedmont Hills and competed in several tournaments in Northern California. Calvin will be entering his Junior year at Monta Vista High School. He has been a volunteer coach for us since 2019 and has been a participant since 2011. He is one of the top players on his high school team, plays to a scratch handicap, and was a key member of the PGA Jr League team that made it to the National Championship. He is a long standing participant in our program having eclipsed 10 years. Sophie has been in our program for over 9 years and is a high-performing competitive golfer. She is highly ranked in California, is a 2-time Girls Golf Champion, has 3 top 3 finishes in the AJGA (top national junior golfing tour), and is first team all-league for her high school team at Los Altos. Recently she tied for 2^nd at the Inaugural First Tee National Championship. Click here to learn more. Borina has been a participant for 6 years and a volunteer coach for the past 3.5 years. She received a scholarship to play college golf at Santa Clara University this Fall. She plays to a +3.9 handicap, was the JGANC 2019 Player of the Year and Scoring Champion. She qualified for the US Girls Junior Championship, and like Sophie, tied for 2^nd in the Inaugural First Tee National Championship. Click here to learn more. In addition to meeting the rigorous golf skill requirements, each individual had to prove their demonstration of First Tee life skills and personal growth through essays and interviews. Throughout the week the teens apply the life and leadership skills learned from First Tee programs during the one-of-a-kind event where they are paired with a PGA TOUR Champions player and amateurs from the business world. Rachel, Calvin, Sophie, and Borina will compete for the pro-junior team title. They will join 77 other teens from First Tee chapters across the country. The full junior field was revealed live on Golf Channel’s “Golf Today.” The reveal included surprises with PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR player Ryan Palmer, Korn Ferry Tour player Austin Smotherman and Golf Channel hosts Shane Bacon and Damon Hack that had been recorded over the last month and aired as part of the PURE Insurance Championship junior field announcement. “Congratulations to Rachel, Sophie, Borina, and Calvin who have been selected to play and represent First Tee — Silicon Valley on a national stage,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “Their hard work and commitment to academic and personal growth through our programs has secured this opportunity. Thank you to our partners − PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Pebble Beach Resorts, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel − for their commitment to young people and helping us provide this opportunity to these deserving teens.” This year’s field of PGA TOUR Champions players will feature World Golf Hall of Fame Members Bernhard Langer, Mark O’Meara, Vijay Singh, as well as three-time PURE Insurance Championship winners Kirk Triplett and Jeff Sluman. Clint Eastwood serves as chairman of the PURE Insurance Championship. Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Friday and Saturday. The final round will be contested solely at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday, where 23 First Tee juniors will compete based on their 36-hole performance. The tournament will crown one male and one female First Tee Junior Champion on Sunday. More than 1,000 teens from First Tee have played in the PURE Insurance Championship, experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet, play and be mentored by PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field. “We are proud to be a part of this incredible event and the support it provides to the many deserving young men and women from the First Tee,” said Katie Krum, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “My participation in sports throughout my youth helped shape so much of who I am today, personally and professionally so it’s energizing to be part of an organization that sees this value and an event that supports such a worthy cause.” The junior field for 2021 PURE Insurance Championship can be viewed here. For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee, visit FirstTee.org.

Open Tournament Results

It was a great day on June 11^th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club with 136 golfers supporting the First Tee – Silicon Valley Open! Thanks to all our sponsors we were able to raise $85,000 to underwrite financial aid for class participants. Scramble Tournament Results: First Place – Scoring a 54 – Steve Guerrero, Isabella Guerrero, Chris King, Jim Pieper Each Player Won a Champion Crystal Trophy, $100 Cinnabar Hills Gift Certificate and a Dozen Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls First Place Woman – Scoring a 63 – Kyleigh Moreno, Kassidy Moreno, Kennedy Moreno, Ernesto Moreno Each Player Won a Champion Crystal Trophy, $100 Cinnabar Hills Gift Certificate and a Dozen Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls Long Drive: Ashley Freitas Won a $50 Cinnabar Hills Gift Certificate Closest to the Pin: Nate Deaton Won a $50 Cinnabar Hills Gift Certificate Raffle Prize Winners: Foursome plus Carts 1) Almaden Golf & Country Club – Dani Chehak 2) San Jose Country Club – John Ahn 3) Cinnabar Hills Golf Club & Pacific Grove Golf Course – Brian Harris 4) Golf Club at Moffett Field & Deep Cliff Golf Course – Isabella Guerrero 5) Napa Golf Course & Foxtail Golf Club – Blake Slattery 6) Franklin Canyon GC & Redwood Canyon GC – Jim Mackanes 7) Boundary Oak GC & Metropolitan Golf Links – Mike Maher 8) Callippe Preserve GC & Las Positas GC – Jay Jeffries 9) Crystal Springs GC & Shoreline GC – Michael Sadler Thank you again to all our sponsors for making the Open a success! We’re especially grateful for our Hosting Sponsors: Hallagan-Huston Family Foundation and IBM, our Contributing Sponsors: DeWinter Group and Emerson Street Ventures, our Beverage Sponsors: Anhueser Busch, Coca Cola and Body Armor and our Hole Sponsors and Foursome Sponsors all listed in on our program. All foursome pictures are posted soon on our Facebook page #FTSVOpen Thank you to our Board Members for their support, especially Co-Chairs Ron Hallagan and Steve Guerrero, Jr., and additionally to Steve Almassy, Shane Oberg, Merry Ayres, Frank Wilde, Ernie Moreno, Victor Arrañaga, Jr., Pam Schramm, Baiba Scott, Dick Budelli, Don DeLorenzo, Alex Wrobel, Adrian McBride and volunteer coach and supporter Ty Willingham. Proceeds from the Open 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 chance 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. Please contact our Development Director, Judy Dixon Deaton 408-508-4881 – [email protected] to discuss sponsorship or underwriting opportunities for our Classic Tournament on September 20, 2021, our NEW Top Golf Fundraiser in January 2022 or the 2022 Open.

Meet FTSV’s New Board Members

The First Tee of Silicon Valley recently added a new Director, Pam Schramm and 2 new Ambassadors, Alex Wrobel and Adrian McBride, to our Board. Pam Schramm is very passionate about volunteering and giving back to our community especially in the areas of golf and youth. She has been a longtime supporter of FTSV golf tournaments over the years and we are pleased to have her in an official role. She come to us with a dynamic personality, endless energy and fundraising experience. Pam loves being able to work where she lives and plays golf at The Villages Golf & Country Club. She is currently a Real Estate Agent at Intero in San Jose/Silver Creek. She began her Busines Development & Sales career in Corporate America working Xerox Corporation for 20 years followed by American Express Travel, Gartner Research, Flextronics, Mosaic, Bauer’s and BCD Travel. For more info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamschramm/ Alex Wrobel first joined FTSV as a Volunteer Coach in 2020 and continues to coach at Gavilan and Baylands at multiple class levels. After experiencing the impact our program has on the kids, he wanted to further support us by becoming an Ambassador. Alex started golfing 7 years ago and is a member at Cinnabar. He has previously volunteered as a mentor for America Scores and YMCA. Alex came to the US in 2007 from Germany and moved to the Bay Area in 2020, now living in San Jose. He currently works at SAP Labs as a Principal Solution Architect – Technical Product Owner SAP Agriculture Contract. Prior to that he worked at Sycor. For more info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-wrobel-8323307/ Adrian McBride connected with the FTSV because our mission resonated with him and the work he has done in his career expanding opportunity to students from underrepresented communities. He enjoys playing golf at Rancho del Pueblo (our class location) and thinks it is important that golf is more accessible to underserved youth. Adrian is an experienced Program Manager who has worked with public and private stakeholders throughout his career. He will bring some specialized experiences to his Ambassador role. He is currently a Literacy Program Specialist at the San Jose Public Library with emphasis on SJ Aspires. His prior experience included CTE Incentive Grant Coordinator at LA Unified School District, Charter School Proposal Writer at Pathways Management Group, and Program Director at University of Arkansas. For more info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-mcbride-3720a12/ Board Directors vote, provide planning, performance, legal and financial oversight and raise sufficient funds to ensure FTSV’s success. 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 Dixon if you have interest in learning more about a volunteer Board opportunity.

Community Collaboration – New and Returning Community Partnerships at Baylands

This summer season marks the first time since the pandemic that we could begin welcoming our community partners back to the golf courses. Redwood City Police Activities League (PAL) and First Tee – Silicon Valley restarted the partnership which began in the Winter of 2018. Every Friday this summer, 16 participants from the PAL program will board a van provided by the SAGA Foundation and their President, David Bartoshuk, to be transported from their school to Baylands Golf Links for their once-a-week class. Thank you to the PAL team, including Ivan Martinez, Enrique Calderon, Ricardo Aguilar and Monique Martinez, for working with us to restart our partnership and offer FTSV classes for these 16 amazing participants. We are pleased to also be able to partner with two new community organizations, Anamatangi and Live in Peace, who do fantastic work serving East Palo Alto students and families. Anamatangi supports the mental, physical, communal, and spiritual wellbeing of Pacific Islander families. Live in Peace mentors, councils, tutors, coaches and advocates for youth and young adults and helps them reclaim the vision for their future. We are grateful to Anamatangi’s Executive Director, Tiffany ‘Uhila-Hautau, and Live in Peace’s Managers, Bob Hoover and Eugene Jackson for their partnership and for pathing the way for their students to take First Tee classes at Baylands. Each week the participants from PAL, Anamatangi, and Live in Peace join the over 60 FTSV participants at Baylands Golf Links in learning our First Tee Life Skills Experience and Golf Fundamentals through various golf games. Golf is a fun and effective vehicle for building character, and as a result, we at FTSV believe it is a game that should be experienced by all. Please help spread the word so more participants can have access to our program and to this great game. Our next season will take place September 7^th to October 30^th at Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, Rancho Del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, and Gavilan Golf Course in Gilroy. Registration will open here August 11^th at 10am. For more information on our programs please visit https://www.firstteesiliconvalley.org/