Year Archives - Page 35 of 51 - First Tee

Letter – From TFTSV’s President & CEO

On behalf of TFTSV’s core staff and board, we hope that you and yours are well. TFTSV’s core staff is doing well, engaged, and productive. “Dealing with Challenges” and “Playing with Perseverance” are two of TFTSV’s 27 core lessons that are very relevant during this season of sheltering-in-place. It is noteworthy that what we teach the young people in our care applies well beyond golf to other parts of life including how we as individuals, families, organizations, and communities make the best of a public health crisis. Those of us who work or volunteer for TFTSV do so because we enjoying helping all participants regardless of background be the best versions of themselves and have the best shot at success. Therefore, it’s been very strange to not be coaching and mentoring youth for such a long period – we cancelled our spring classes for 500 participants. However, core staff are keeping their eye on the ball so that we can get straight back to business when we resume classes this summer. Our team of five full-timers and four part-timers have been working from home on a wide variety of activities/lessons for participants at home and projects to improve our program and business, including our web site. For example, we are building an online resource library of our 27 core lessons, golf cues, and more for participants, families, and coaches to foster learning outside of actual classes. We have created corresponding signs of each core lesson for all to reference at our check-in/-out table for each class to reinforce our curriculum. We will be stronger and better as an organization when we expect to return to classes this summer. I speak for myself, our staff and our board when I say how enormously grateful we are to our financial supporters. Your prior generosity has been very important during such an unexpected, adverse time as it has enabled us to keep most of our infrastructures (including core staff) intact. While we are excited to return to what we so enjoy – helping participants –, we will do so with serious concerns about TFTSV’s long-term, financial stability. We need our supporters now more than ever. If you are moved to make a donation, we will surely put it to important use as we pay it forward for the benefit of the youth in our care. Best, George Maxe

Rishi & Ralph National Spotlight Feature

The First Tee home office has selected two of our seniors, Rishi Ajjarapu and Ralph Kho, to highlight nationally. They will be featured in a national spotlight for their local and chapter contributions. Rishi Ajjarapu joined our chapter in 2012. He successfully made it to our top Ace level, and moved into a volunteer coaching role in 2016. Over the last 3 years, he has contributed over 376 hours of volunteer coaching. Throughout his time at TFTSV, he has demonstrated leadership, compassion, and enthusiasm which contributed to his successes as a participant and coach. In addition to his TFTSV contributions, he was selected by national panel of judges to attend the Joe Louis Barrow Life Skills & Leadership Academy in Boise Idaho and the NorCal Life Skills & Leadership Academy. While at the NorCal academy, he was selected by the coaching staff to receive the “Excellence in Core Values” award which goes to the student who best demonstrates and exhibits the core values throughout the academy. Rishi credits TFTSV for his motivation, leadership and interpersonal skills needed to pursue his extracurricular activities. He is a member of his high school’s Future Business Leaders of America group. His FBLA group worked together as a team to create Seniors Get Savvy, a non-profit aimed to teach seniors how to use technology. His FBLA team competed and placed 2^nd in a state-wide competition evaluating their contributions to local businesses and non-profits. He also served on his Cupertino Youth Activity Board which put together an event providing mental health resources to teens. Rishi says, “Golf is a medium that brings people together, and I want to bring people together for the common good.” He attributes our core lessons of ALR (Ask, Listen & Respond), Go-To-Team, and Goal Ladders as reasons he felt prepared in his clubs and credits the core values for his motivation to succeed and give back. Rishi plans to attend college at the Rutgers University, New Brunswick in the Fall. Meet Ralph Kho. He has been in TFTSV program for 9 years and is an Ace level participant. Ralph began our program in TFTSV’s first season at Palo Alto Muni (now Baylands) in 2011. He has been an instrumental part of our organization volunteering for community events and coaching classes. In 2016, he was selected as the recipient of the Dennis Kettmann Scholarship Award which offers a college scholarship to the college of their choice. Ralph is planning on using the scholarship as he attends the University of Dallas in the Fall. Ralph has not only succeeded in our chapter, but has also been selected by The First Tee national judges to participate in the National Par 3 Championship, the NorCal Life Skills & Leadership Academy, and the PURE Insurance First Tee Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Course. In addition to his local First Tee accomplishments he is active in his community as an International Student Mentor and a member of his school’s National Honor Society and Multi-Cultural Club. Ralph credits TFTSV for “teaching me moral principles, what it is like to have a positive mindset, how to cope with stress, and how to stay physically and mentally healthy.” Please join us in congratulating Rishi and Ralph for their contributions, accomplishments, and graduation. We are proud of who they are and we wish them the best as they embark on their college journeys.

Ace Class Exploring Careers via Zoom

This Spring marks the largest enrollment for an Ace class in TFTSV history – 14 participants! Despite the COVID-19 crisis, these participants are taking the Ace-Career Exploration class online via Zoom. Chris Moreno-Hunt, Program Director, and George Maxe, President & CEO, are teaching about self-awareness, types of industries and business functions, informational interviews, planning and resume building. The self-awareness section guides participants to a better understanding of interests, values, and skills both in general and theirs, in particular. The objective is to help them see the overlap between a “work” personality and careers. For example, individuals with more developed communication and social skills tend to select and perform well in people-oriented careers such as teaching, sales, and human resources. Two of the hallmarks of the four Ace projects – career, education, volunteerism, and golf – are exploration and goal ladders, a First Tee tool first introduced to participants at the Birdie level. Participants leverage their new self- and work-awareness to learn more by conducting three informational interviews and preparing career action plans using a goal ladder. For example, a current participant who is interested in a career in sports management recently interviewed with John Poch, Executive Director of the San Jose Sports Authority, which is Silicon Valley’s sports commission and founding organization of TFTSV. Of course, Coaches Chris and George are ready to help including making business introductions of participants to potential informational interviewees. As Ace-Career participants make progress on their career goals, they will surely encounter various roadblocks. Thus, the class also addresses the challenges they may face building upon the “Dealing with Challenges” lesson they had in the Birdie level. COVID-19 has certainly posed its challenges to each of us. We’re proud of our Ace-Career participants for staying in the game with TFTSV by taking this season’s class via Zoom.