Participant Spotlight: Meet Jonathan Tessmann

Jonathan Tessmann has been in our program since the Spring of 2012 and was a part of the first class that participated in our grand opening of our Gavilan location in Gilroy.  He recently certified at the Eagle level and is moving on to Ace, which is our highest level in the program. John is a sophomore at the Gilroy Early College Academy. Aside from our certifying program, John has been assisting the Gilroy location as a volunteer and has been a trained mentor for the last three years.  He also participated in our participant opportunities such as our seasonal tournaments, the practice squad, and our Go Green event where he assisted in planting multiple trees at Gavilan Golf Course. According to John, “First Tee – Silicon Valley has meant opportunities to meet many great people, cultivate good values, and play my favorite sport. Without the First Tee, I would have never played golf. I will always be grateful for the positive influence the First Tee has had on my life.” John spends his free time introducing the game of golf to fellow classmates who have never experienced the sport.  Outside of golf he is an outstanding student and is the vice president of the debate club at his school. John is ambitious, focused, and curious to learn.  Recently he has taken a serious approach towards researching colleges and has been working with one of his coaches on figuring out what type of college fits his interests and how to approach the process. John is a leader in our program and we are excited for what his future holds. Are you interested in joining Jonathan and taking a FTSV class? Please visit our Youth Classes Page.