Future Planning Classes – Education and Volunteer Give Back

First Tee – Silicon Valley is excited to share two of our four Future Planning classes. In the fall of each year, we offer an 8-week Education Future Planning class for participants 10th grade and above.

This fall we had 15 high school participants take the Future Planning class where they:

  • Explored different post high school educational options and their respective cost, focus, and benefits.
  • Provided an extensive college research process, where they compared student life/opportunities, fit, cost, student resources, faculty support, majors and classes.
  • Demystified application options like early action versus early decision, the common application, application fees, and fee waivers.
  • Covered essay writing tips and processes.
  • Reviewed the differences between grants, scholarships and loans. Explained how loans work and how compound interest works.
  • Provided options to help pay for college – scholarship sites and resources, FASFA, high yield savings accounts, mutual funds…etc. and practiced making a budget spreadsheet for college.

Participants met as a group every Friday and took part in small and large group activities. Together they applied the class material and related the concepts back to their post high school educational journey.

Throughout the 8-weeks they learned that many of First Tee’s transferable skills — goal setting, exploring their identity (interests, skills, personality), asking for help, stretching themselves, and making informed decisions — are directly related to successfully navigating the college application process.

This winter we will be holding the final Future Planning class of the year

It is called the Give Back (volunteering) class. This class discusses all aspects of volunteering — how to research, apply, interview, gain transferrable skills, develop professional correspondence skills, and go above and beyond. It is open to all high schoolers 9th grade and above, and can be taken in combination with a normal Grades 9-12 class, or on its own.

Completion of the Grades 9-12 classes, plus the four Future Planning classes and their corresponding post class documentation, makes participants eligible to become Ace certified, which is the highest honor for a First Tee participant. Being Ace certified also positions them nicely for the National Opportunities throughout the year.

How to Sign Up

Participants may sign up for the upcoming Give Back class by registering here beginning 11/8 at 11am.  For more information on our four Future Planning classes please email [email protected] or call 408-508-4884.