All 20 of our 12th grade participants graduated High School with a 3.0 GPA or better. What is even more impressive is that ALL are college bound with 14 attending CA UC’s. We are proud of who they are, and what they have accomplished on and off the course. They have been involved with TFTSV between 4-11 years, excelling as participants with 6 progressing to the Eagle level and 14 achieving our top Ace level.
TFTSV’s mentors have walked alongside our participants assisting in their character and life skills development which helped shape their journey and future aspirations. 100% of graduate survey respondents credited TFTSV for improving their character, inspiring them to be life-long golfers (1 playing Division I and 7 on Club teams) and developing their social strengths and respect for inclusion to be better citizens and build a better community.
| Amanda Nguyen – Eagle – 5 years |
Juan Pablo Roa – Ace – 9 years |
| Andres Herrera – Ace – 7 years |
Justin Lam – Ace – 8 years |
| Archis Dhar – Ace Certified – 8 years |
Krisha Sharma – Eagle – 8 years |
| Arthi Chandra – Ace – 11 years |
Linette Jun – Ace – 6 years |
| Avery Chen – Eagle – 8 years |
Mitchell Fong – Ace – 4 years |
| Calton Kong – Ace – 10 years |
Pranav Vadali – Ace – 6 years |
| Darren Chan – Eagle – 9 years |
Ralph Kho – Ace – 7 years |
| Erica Lam – Ace Certified – 9 years |
Rishi Ajjarapu – Ace – 8 years |
| Francis Agcaoili – Eagle Certified – 4 years |
Sara Finch – Ace Certified – 10 years |
| Gracie Lacy – Ace – 10 years |
Twisha Sharma – Eagle – 9 years |
The following is a sampling of responses when we asked our graduating Seniors how TFTSV impacted them:
TFTSV has shown me that golf is more than just a game and that we don’t have to be star players to make our mark on the world using the game of golf. – Rishi
TFTSV taught me to be more of a leader, to take responsibility for my actions, and set and achieve my goals. – JP
TFTSV has taught me how to set process and performance goals, both on and off the golf course, while challenging me to overcome adversity and develop resiliency. By learning self-confidence, positive leadership, and compassion for others, TFTSV has ultimately shaped me into the person that I am today. – Mitchell
TFTSV has helped me become a leader and step out of my comfort zone. Especially when I was asked to speak in front of a big crowd at the Open Golf Tournament as a TFTSV college scholarship recipient. Talking in front of people has always been nerve wracking for me so it was the best feeling in the world when I accomplished it. – Andres
As both a participant as well as a volunteer coach I grew from a very shy and quiet kid to someone who loves meeting and interacting with people. TFTSV has also allowed me to practice building upon my social skills, especially as a volunteer coach where I got to interact with both participants and fellow coaches. – Darren
If I hadn’t decided to go to my first class when I was 8, I would not be playing college golf in the fall! Secondly, I’ve honestly learned a lot of life lessons from TFT. Whether I’m playing golf, or just going about my everyday life, the core values that were taught have been deeply imprinted in me. Whenever I hear or think about the word perseverance, I think The First Tee. – Avery
Our High School Seniors also shared how they have incorporated the First Tee Nine Core Values in their lives:
I incorporated meeting and greeting skills along with having a group of people I can go to for support, also known as my go-to team. – Francis
I integrate confidence, perseverance, responsibility, and most importantly respect regularly in my daily life. Learning to deal with life’s challenges requires me to keep myself grounded in the core values that I hold near to me in order to face struggles. – Hewitt
Courtesy has been an important one. I’ve truly learned how impactful treating other people kindly is. Whether it’s a friend, a stranger, or even someone you might butt heads with, kindness truly goes a long way. Treating people the way you want to be treated becomes extremely important. – Avery
Definitely confidence because since breaking out of my shell, I have found it a lot easier to talk to people as well as meeting new people. It has also gotten to the point where I enjoy meeting new people. – Darren
Goal ladders have been one of the primary lessons that I’ve incorporated into my life, and STAR is a close 2nd. STAR has helped me after hard tests or projects which I didn’t perform how I would have liked too and has helped me move forward to ensure I succeed. – Rishi
Patience (from The Three Tips for Having Fun lesson) played a really big role in my senior year. I had a lot of tough decisions to make like where to go to school. And even though everyone goes to a 4-year college, I knew it was not the plan for me. I had to have patience with the people around me who didn’t really understand why I was talking the road I was taking and it was a very tricky time in my life. – Gracie
We look forward to our participants taking what they learned and using the core life lessons to make the world a better place. For more information on our mission, curriculum, coaching, and how to get started please visit
https://www.firstteesiliconvalley.org/.
