Two of a Kind, Both Outstanding!!! PGA Jr. League a Hit Among First Tee Participants PGA Tour Pros Give Back at Northern Trust After Ace: Realizing Potential Through First Tee Tyler Kim is Going to Pebble Beach! thefirstteemetny.org Editor: Joshua Sanchez Contributors: Barry McLaughlin, Christina DeBartolomeo, Remi Shendell, Adam Zweig
Mahdavi Shashank and Cameren Dawkins are two of 28 First Tee participants selected from a pool of national candidates to attend The First Tee Outstanding Participant and Leadership Summit November 8 th 11 th in Orlando, FL. The summit will be an interactive and educational event during which participants will have the opportunity to develop and hone their skills to become leaders at their chapters, schools and communities. It will be held in conjunction with The First Tee Network Meeting, a biennial conference with more than 800 chapter representatives of The First Tee in attendance. First Tee candidates were selected based on academic achievement, community service, chapter involvement, leadership, essay responses and letters of recommendation. Workshops during the summit will be presented by experts in the respective fields and will cover a variety of topics including college preparation, the importance of community service and volunteerism, environmental sustainability, and will be presented by experts in these fields. During the workshops, Mahdavi and Cameren will develop plans for leading a meaningful service project in our community as a way to apply the skills and concepts learned at the three-day summit. They will also be mentored by an alumnus from The First Tee.
The Young Benefactors is a network of active, young professionals dedicated to the mission of The First Tee of Metropolitan New York. We support the program through fundraising and community and volunteer efforts and broaden awareness through the New York Metropolitan Area. To learn more about the Young Benefactors, please click HERE.
The PGA Junior League began in 2011, and many TFT participants have been in the program for several years. Their enthusiastic commitment stems from the many diverse aspects of the program. The PGA Junior League is about much more than the competition, though; players learn strategy and teamwork while competing at new golf courses. Participants also get a chance to use the Nine Core Values and other strategic techniques taught in TFT classes. PGA Junior League is a fabulous introduction to golf, and the All Star Team is a true introduction to competition and the natural progression of what should come next, says TFT of Essex County Program Director Katie Brenny. TFTMNY locations such as Mosholu, Weequahic, and Plainfield all have PGA Junior League teams, and the Weequahic All Star Team competed in the State Quarterfinals on August 23rd. The lessons learned from TFT translate directly to matches, so participants can practice handling their emotions and attitude. For many players, the goal of the experience is to meet new people. I like Junior League because you get to make new friends from different places, says Tahree Bishop, a TFTMNY participant. TFT and PGA Junior League are a perfect partnership because TFT players can channel their passion for tournament play in a healthy environment. TFTMNY already has a group of kids that have an interest in the game, and PGA Junior League is great learning environment that allows our kids to work together and practice as a team adds Katie Brenny. The alignment of TFT s and the PGA Junior League s mission and interests will strengthen in years to come and so will the participants alignment to friendly competition and new experiences.
Want to make a difference in the lives of young people? There are many ways you can support the mission of The First Tee and help us introduce the game of golf and its inherent values like honesty, respect, and confidence to kids and teens. Click HERE to learn more.
The First Tee of Metropolitan New York took full advantage of having The Northern Trust so close to home at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY. Throughout the week over 100 participants made their way out to the first leg of the PGA Tour s FedEx Cup playoffs as spectators and volunteers. The Tuesday practice round was a big day, as participants were onsite all day for a number of activities. PGA Tour pros Lucas Glover and Kelly Kraft ran a clinic on the driving range. They hit a variety of shots and explained how they hit them and the situations they use them in. Later, participants gathered near the short game area where they were met by another PGA Tour Pro Jason Kokrak. The kids took advantage of the intimate setting sitting just a few feet away from Jason as he hit chips and told them stories. The kids asked him all sort of questions about his golf game and personal life growing up. Later in the evening after spending all day outside, the kids attended the Taste of the Tee event in the air-conditioned skybox behind the 9 th and 18 th green. They were treated to food and were greeted by two more PGA Tour pros in Bud Cauley and Ryan Moore. The pros chatted with the kids and later singed autographs and took pictures with all of them.
Our STEM curriculum approaches science, technology, engineering, and math through the lens of golf. We explore concepts such as the science of the swing, environmental studies on the golf course, and inertia. Mark Cognata, Director of Curriculum and Evaluation
A strong passion for golf drives Nicole Eager and is something she is surrounded by in her work. At Weequahic Golf Course, Nicole has found a family in the staff, participants, and a purpose through The First Tee. Over the past four years, she has become an integral part of that family through her commitment as a TFT Coach. Nicole, now 20, joined TFT at age 11 and completed the Ace Program at 16. She not only utilized the program to improve her golf game but also to help her set goals and achieve them when others didn't believe that she could. "When I first joined my high school golf team...i told the coach that I wanted to play college golf in Florida. He told me, you'll never be able to do that. TFT provided the Life Skill tools and golf training for me, and I signed with Johnson and Wales University in Miami, playing on the golf team. TFT made that happenfor me." Nicole's success as a participant with TFT only inspired her to help others. She works daily for the summer programs, coordinating outreach, coaching TFT classes and camps. Katie Brenny, Program Director for TFT of Essex County, has only high praise for Nicole. "She has never missed a day of work, has never been late and has never asked to leave early. She...keeps everyone safe and makes sure that everyone has fun," says Brenny. In the future, Nicole wants to coordinate tournaments, travel in conjunction with tournament circuits all over the world. Even when she travels and succeeds in the future, she knows that she will have the people of Weequahic Golf Course and TFT standing with her. "Weequahic is a family setting. I really feel like I'm being cared for," she says. Both staff and participants at TFT of Essex County can agree that they wouldn't have it any other way.
Congrats to participant Tyler Kim on being selected to play in the Pure Insurance Championship! Tyler s playing partner is PGA Champions Tour Pro Joey Sindelar. Make sure to look for him on TV as coverage of the tournament will be on Golf Channel! Golf Channel Coverage: Friday (9/22) : 6pm-9pm EST Saturday (9/23): 6pm-9pm EST Sunday (9/24): 6pm-9pm EST