TFTSV is looking for dedicated individuals interested in helping mentor youth in our programs. Volunteers must have a positive approach and a drive to make a difference in the lives of program participants. This is a great opportunity to meet and work together with like-minded coaches, positively impact youth through golf, and give back to your community. Training is provided and golf skills are not required.
Volunteer positions are available. Join our team and make a help difference! Summer Season onboarding steps must be in process by May 15th. Please click here for more information and how to get started.
As we look back over the last month and a half, we want to express our gratitude for your ongoing support and commitment to maintain a sense of community through our various activities. We loved seeing our participants’ build their own mini golf course, post about who is on their go-to team, build and play an indoor putt bowling game, create beautiful core values artwork, and even show responsibility by competing in our laundry toss contest. To read about each challenge and to see the great work put in by our participants please visit our News section and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
At a time where we can easily feel isolated, our participants have shown us that there are still many ways to stay connected. We are working hard to prepare for a return to normal programming. We miss coaching and working with everyone, and until we restart our in-person programs, please know that we will continue to design more challenges to stay engaged and build community.
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.
Amanda Flores
On May 2nd, 19 TFTSV participants along with 9 parents/guardians took part in our laundry toss responsibility contest. All contestants joined the competition on Zoom and took turns tossing their rolled-up socks into their laundry bins from 3 yards away. We played two rounds, and divided the competition between participants and parent/guardians. The goal was to toss as many socks into their laundry bins out of 10 as possible.
Music played during each round and everyone practiced their responsibility by getting a head start on their Saturday laundry. Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who participated.
The winners of the Spring 2020 Laundry Toss Contest are:
Participant Division
1st place – Edwin Sanchez
2nd place – Shreyash Avasarala
3rd place – Mariano Garcia and Genesis Torres
Parent/Guardian Division
1st place – Shreyash’s mother
2nd place – Genesis and Camila’s mother
Please follow us and stay engaged Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Edwin can be seen in the middle, left screen in the photo.
Beginning, Tuesday, April 14th TFTSV participants were encouraged to submit their artwork that best represented one of our nine core values. Thank you to those who submitted their art/drawing, great work!
The winner of the TFTSV Core Value Drawing/Art Contest is Nancy Rivera! Congratulations Nancy! Nancy’s drawing will be the cover photo and placed on the front flipper of our website at www.firsteesiliconvalley.org. The top 5 submissions can be seen below and the winning artwork will be posted next week on our social media accounts.
Please follow us and stay engaged Facebook, Twitter, InstagramWinner – Nancy Rivera
Calling all participants! TFTSV is looking for new Core Value artwork to be placed on our website, and what better art than yours? Beginning, Thursday, April 16th TFTSV participants are encouraged to submit their art. We will feature all submissions, and the winning participant will be the cover photo for the website post.
Guidelines:
Art project can be a drawing, painting, or an arts and craft project
The project must represent one of our Core Values (Respect, Courtesy, Responsibility, Honesty, Sportsmanship, Confidence, Perseverance, Judgment, Integrity)
Art submissions must be submitted to [email protected] by Monday, April 20th at 11:59pm
Beginning April 7th, participants were challenged to build their own indoor putt bowling game and participate in the indoor putt bowling challenge. Congratulations to everyone who submitted a video. Hopefully you can use the game set up to practice your putting while at home.
The winner of the Spring 2020 Indoor Putt Bowling challenge is……. Salma Rivera! Congratulations Salma!
We will also post her winning video on our social media accounts next week. Please follow us and stay engaged Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Click here for a video on how to build the putting game.
Beginning Tuesday, April 7th, TFTSV participants can participate in our Indoor Putt Bowling Challenge. All video submissions are due by 11:59pm, 4/10. Join the fun and compete against other TFTSV participants for the right to be called TFTSV Putt Bowling Champion!
Challenge: Putt Bowling
See below for videos on how to set up and play the game.
Each player must build their own ramp using the video tutorial (see below).
Three targets are placed equal distance from each other on the top of the ramp (see video).
Each player hits 10 putts from 10ft away, please use integrity and honesty.
Players must use a golf ball or a plastic/nerf golf ball.
5 points for each ball that knocks down the outside targets (plastic spice bottles).
10 points for each ball that knocks down the middle target (plastic spice bottle).
Please submit a 10 second video to [email protected] of you putting to the target. Please also tell us your name, your TFTSV level, and your point total in the video.
Videos are due Friday, 4/10 no later 11:59pm.
The winning video will be posted next Tuesday on our website.
We will also post his winning video on our social media accounts next week. Please follow us and stay engaged Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
We are anticipating having registration open for our 2020 Summer classes on Wednesday, May 13th for all participants 2nd grade and up. Nothing will be official until Tuesday, May 5th, once we are provided an update on the stay in place order. For our class flyer and scheduled classes, please click here.
Classes are held once a week (same day each week) over a 9-week period beginning June 9th and ending August 8th (no class 6/30 – 7/4).
Each class, participants are learning a golf fundamental and a core life lesson through engaging games and activities. Come join our program and experience a fun, safe, and friendly learning environment. See you soon!
The safety of the young people we serve as well as our employees and volunteers is always of utmost importance to TFTSV. This is especially true as our community contends with COVID-19.
2020 Spring Credit/Refund
Wash your hands with liquid soap and water – rub for at least 20 seconds.
Keep tissues and hand sanitizer in your car, purse, backpack and other places.
Try to maintain a 6’ distance between you and others.
Wave or give a “thumbs up” instead of a handshake.
Cough or sneeze into your sleeve, arm, or a tissue, which should be thrown away immediately.
Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home if you are sick.
Also, observe a 14-day self-quarantine period if anyone in your immediate circle of family and friends has recently traveled abroad, including to an area on the CDC’s Travel Info, or has come into contact with someone who is (or you think could be) symptomatic.
We will be cleaning/disinfecting surfaces including tables and equipment as well as practicing the above safety precautions in our operations as best as we can.
Updates & Further Info
We will be updating this memo as needed. TFTSV is keeping apprised of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department’s guidelines, including its recommendations for schools, and is monitoring school policies, including closures, to inform our decision making about our programs and activities in light of COVID-19.
TFTSV’s office staff will be working remotely from home with little to no time in the actual office until further notice. Please contact staff directly via email or personal telephone lines — Staff Directory. We expect our Admin Hours to remain the same — Tue to Fri from 10am to 5pm.
Programs – 408-288-2934 or [email protected]General – 408-288-2937 or [email protected]
Our TFTSV family is staying connected by creating #stayathome weekly activities for participants. We thank everyone who has contributed and will be contributing via email responses, and social media posts.
Beginning March 24th, participants were challenged to build two of their best mini golf holes using household items. Congratulations to everyone who submitted a video, they were creative and fun, great work!
The winner of the Spring 2020 Mini Golf Course Challenge is……. Brian Jackson! Congratulations Brian! To view his video please see below.
We will also post his winning video on our social media accounts next week. Please follow us and stay engaged Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Por favor oprima aquí para Español
We all need people or animals we can depend on, to reassure us, to support us, and to guide us. At the First Tee of Silicon Valley we believe in building teamwork and relationships so much so that one of our Core Lessons is centered around how to, and why we create a “Go-To Team.” Having a go-to team means you have someone to turn to when life gets hard, you have someone to challenge your beliefs, and offer advice when asked. A go-to team can come from anywhere and anyone. All we have to do is ask, ask for help, ask for guidance. And when we are asked to be on someone’s go-to team, we need to listen.
Golf is an individual sport, where we can be isolated in our thoughts for better or worse. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. By asking questions, expressing interest, and respecting others we can build lasting friendships, gain new perspectives and create a positive support network with the people we play with and our coaches.
We are committed to being a friendly resource for all, and during this time we ask that you explore how you have been impacted by your go-to team and how you can be the best go-to person for others. Please share a picture of you with your go-to team on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using #TFTSV and #gototeam and #respectothers. Make sure to follow us too. We are never alone nor should we be. Let’s build a team and spread the word.
TFTSV Core Staff is a Go-To Team: Judy, George, Lina, Manny, Julie, Carlos, Chris, Joe & Gabby (left to right by row starting with the top left)
Calling all participants! TFTSV is looking for new Core Value artwork to be placed on our website, and what better art than yours? Beginning, Thursday, April 16th TFTSV participants are encouraged to submit their art. We will feature all submissions, and the winning participant will be the cover photo for the website post.
Guidelines:
