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Press Release
The First Tee putting Grad Nation to work in
each of its chapters
3/26/2010
By Esther Berg
The First Tee, an Alliance partner and recent
adopter of the Grad Nation goal, is fulfilling its commitment to end the
high school dropout crisis by bolstering collaboration both nationwide
and on a community level.
As an organization that provides all Five Promises
at each of its chapters,
The
First Tee has designated Promise
Places in all 197 of its chapters nationwide. It will focus its
efforts in Houston, Nashville, and Chicago -- three Alliance Featured
Communities-- to intensify education inside and outside the classroom
through two unique programs.
The
National School Program is an in-classroom elementary school
initiative that improves student achievement and supports effective
teaching during physical education classes.
The First Tee Life Skills Experience is an afterschool, weekend and
summer month curriculum that will involve collaborating with the
communities’ school districts, youth organizations, afterschool programs
and other Alliance Partners. Life Skills Experience locations include
The First Tee chapters, golf courses and driving ranges, as well as
schools, parks, community and youth centers, and 120 military bases
around the world.
Through its partnership with the Alliance and the Grad
Nation initiative, The First Tee has identified three key goals of
this partnership:
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To enhance the National School Program using the
most successful aspects of the Life Skills Education Program and
align efforts with the Grad Nation goal and determine whether young
people participating in The First Tee National School Program and
related activities have a significantly higher graduation rate than
young people not exposed to The First Tee National School Program.
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To expand The First Tee National School Program
into all elementary schools in the three Featured Communities,
thereby reaching over 650 schools and impacting more than 335,000
elementary school students every year and introducing the program
into the Boys and Girls Clubs to offer the opportunity for more
children to participate; and,
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To research and measure the impact of the
program on students from Kindergarten to 5th grade through a
longitudinal research study, as well as snapshot summaries that will
provide updates on the development of key indicators.
The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf
Foundation, has as its mission to impact the lives of young people by
providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote
character-development and life-enhancing values through the game of
golf. The goal is to provide the golf learning facilities and the
experience that will enable kids from every walk of life to partake of a
game that teaches values for life and which can be played for a
lifetime. To learn more, visit
http://www.thefirsttee.org.
For Immediate
Release
March 2010
Media Contact: Judith Cockrell 614/471-1404
Children of National Guardsmen and reservists
welcomed at the First Tee of Columbus for no-cost programs
Columbus, Ohio - March, 2010 – In 2010, The First
Tee of Columbus will offer golf instruction combined with character and
life skills education to children of National Guardsmen and Reservists.
Fifty U.S.-based military installations began
offering the program last fall, with 50 more to begin this spring. The
overseas plan will involve 20 U.S. bases located in Cuba, Germany, Guam,
Italy, Japan, Puerto Rico, South Korea and Spain. The initiative is made
possible as part of a two-year agreement between The First Tee, a
nation-wide youth development program, and the Department of Defense.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to introduce
our positive youth development programs to children of those serving in
our Armed Forces,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer
of The First Tee. “The First Tee Life Skills Experience teaches young
people core values such as honesty and respect as well as important life
skills such as managing emotions, goal setting, interpersonal
communication and effective conflict resolution. The program goes
far beyond teaching fundamental golf skills.”
Trained coaches and staff at more than 200 Chapters
of The First Tee offer a progression of lesson plans that create a fun
and safe learning environment. The curriculum fosters curiosity
about the game of golf and teaches how the positive values inherent in
the game can be used at home, in school and in other areas of everyday
life.
The free program aims to positively impact children
of Guardsmen and Reservists that reside in 200 civilian communities
across America. New sessions start throughout the year and dates
and times vary by location. A parent from the military family can
sign-up at The First Tee of Columbus at Bridgeview 2738 Agler Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43224 or download a voucher at
www.thefirsttee.org/military. Vouchers and more information will be
available at The First Tee of Columbus OPEN HOUSE is Saturday, May 8,
2010 10AM-4PM.
“Parents, teachers and communities have embraced our
mission after seeing firsthand how the core values associated with the
program help young people succeed,” said Barrow. “We expect to
have a similar level of meaningful impact on the children of service
members. When you think about the sacrifices being made by the men
and women serving in the defense of our country, supporting this group
of young people and military families with these types of programs is
tremendously important.”
Over 7,800 volunteers, board members and coaches are
engaged in teaching and mentoring participants of The First Tee.
Independent research findings since 2003 outline longitudinal evidence
of the effectiveness of The First Tee life skills programs, and indicate
that participants demonstrate desirable qualities such as confidence,
character, judgment and perseverance over time.
For more information about the program, please
contact Judith Cockrell 614/471-1404.
# # #
About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org)
is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization based in St. Augustine, Fla. at World Golf Village, home of
the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of
young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs
that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the
game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has
introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 3.5 million
participants in 50 states, more than 3,400 elementary schools and four
international locations - Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore.
Former President George H. W. Bush serves as honorary chairman.
The First Tee Founding Partners are LPGA, The Masters Tournament, PGA of
America, PGA TOUR and the USGA.
Media Contact: Judith Cockrell 614/471-1404
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