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New York Life awards Community Impact Grant to The First Tee of Howard County

THE FIRST TEE OF HOWARD COUNTY RECEIVES COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANT FROM NEW YORK LIFE

COLUMBIA, MD, July 17, 2019 – The First Tee of Howard County, which provides youth development programming that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf, announced today that it was awarded a $10,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life. The grant will support The First Tee’s National School Program and D.R.I.V.E. program, which bring golf and its inherently positive benefits to elementary-aged students in schools and after-school programs through partnerships with Howard County Public Schools and Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. Rob Ugiansky, a board member with The First Tee of Howard County who was instrumental in connecting the nonprofit with New York Life, commented “I am proud to have New York Life join us in our initiative to provide The First Tee’s Life Skills and Healthy Habits curriculum to the youth of Howard County.” In the past year, The First Tee’s National School Program and D.R.I.V.E afterschool program introduced more than 19,500 elementary school students in Howard County schools to the game of golf. This year, the nonprofit plans to reach even more young students throughout the county; the grant from New York Life will enable an additional seven school programs to open, engaging more than 2,500 students. “We are grateful for New York Life’s investment in our National School Program and D.R.I.V.E., which introduce youth to the positive personal and social values associated with golf, a lifelong game and physical fitness activity,” said Don Van Deusen, Executive Director of The First Tee of Howard County. “Without the support from New York Life, we wouldn’t be able to expand these important programs to reach more youth throughout Howard County.” The Community Impact Grant program awards grants of up to $25,000 to local nonprofit organizations which are championed by New York Life agents and employees to serve the needs of their local communities. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 500 grants totaling nearly $7 million have been awarded to nonprofits across the country.

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About The First Tee of Howard County The First Tee of Howard County is one of the county’s premier youth organizations, providing life-skills instruction through the game of golf. Founded in 2000 and headquartered at the Fairway Hills Golf Course in Columbia, Maryland, the program is centered on nine core personal values that children aged 5 to 18, put into practice on the golf course, at home, at school and in every aspect of their lives. The First Tee’s Life Skills Experience allows participants to learn valuable lessons such as the importance of maintaining a positive attitude; how to make decisions by thinking about the possible consequences; how to define and set goals; and how to transfer values such as responsibility, honesty, integrity, respect, confidence and sportsmanship from the golf course to everyday life. Sessions are currently offered throughout the year at more than five local courses. For more information, visit www.firstteehowardcounty.org, email [email protected] or call 410.730.1114.

Meet & Greet with Terry Owens

We are thrilled that board member Terry Owens is chairing this year’s Taste for The First Tee, bringing a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to make this our best Taste yet. Currently the Director of Communications for the District Department of Transportation, Terry was formerly a VP with the Howard County Economic Development Authority and longtime television news personality at WMAR in Baltimore. He has also made time throughout his career to give back to the community, serving on boards for nonprofits including Board of Child Care, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, Center for Urban Families and the Baltimore Association of Black Media Workers. Terry is a graduate of Leadership Howard County and has lived here since 1992, currently as a resident of North Laurel. Both his children are graduates of the public school system and the University of Maryland, College Park. Terry brings his previous board experience and an ever-growing love of the game of golf to the board. Terry received his BA in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. Terry recently answered a few questions for us about his involvement and this year’s Taste event; read on below for his responses. Q: When did you first get involved with The First Tee of Howard County, and why? A: I joined the board four years ago after graduating from Leadership Howard County. One of the requirements of the program was that individuals find a way a place to serve in the community, and with my passion for kids and golf, The First Tee was a perfect fit. I have always supported worthwhile causes and The First Tee deserves all of the support the community can muster. When I was made aware of the opportunity, it took little convincing to get me involved. Q: What makes the Taste event special? A: The Taste event represents the best of Howard County. Local businesses volunteer their time and their resources, supporters purchase tickets and provide auction items, and the gathering itself provides a wonderful opportunity for some fun and camaraderie. Q: Can guests at the Taste event expect anything new or different this year? A: We are working on some new activities for this year’s event in an effort to make it more appealing to our guests and sponsors. Stay tuned for details!

2019 Registration Information from Coach Jim

Happy New Year! There will be some subtle changes in registration for 2019 classes beginning with the Spring Session (4/24-6/25 2019). We want you to know about those, and also make a few requests to ease the administrative burden on us and you in registering your children this year. So here are Seven Things That You Should Know:

Schedules are now posted on the Registration Page for all three sessions for planning purposes only. Registration will open on February 2 for all three sessions.
PLAYer and Par classes will be separated. To provide a better product at each level, we have gone back this year to the structure observed by most First Tee chapters, separating the PLAYer (7-8 year old) and Par (9-10 year old) levels. We believe this will be a better and more consistent teaching/learning environment for your participants and our coaches. As has been the case previously, ALL participants 7 or older regardless of age, must start at the PLAYer Level.
Please remember that when you register, your registration is not “Complete” until you have processed your payment (or requested financial aid). If you begin a registration and do not take it through payment within 72 hours, it will be marked “Abandoned” so that it does not deny others who are ready to pay, a chance to register. This is not controlled by us, but by the Salesforce registration software.
Please be judicious in registering your child for ONE class only in each session in which you register. The registration software is not a smorgasbord of alternative registrations. It is a straightforward class list like those used in any school that uses electronic registration. There were entirely too many Cancellations, Abandoned/In Process and re-registrations last year (almost 14%).
There have been some subtle changes in rates this year for TARGET ($65), PLAYer ($100), and Par ($110) levels.
IMPORTANT: For children who will be 12 or older on their first day of class, if this is their initial First Tee experience, we would strongly recommend that they participate in our Rising Teens Class (#150 Spring, #151 Summer, #152 Fall) on Monday evening (ONLY), where they will have an opportunity to complete the first two levels of the program in 8 weeks. Should they fail to complete Par certification, they must enroll for another Par class in the subsequent session. With the split of PLAYer and Par, that means that 12 and olders who cannot make that Monday class will be placed with 7 and olders in a PLAYer class, and while we will do our best to accommodate them, we cannot make any guarantees about advancement beyond the PLAYer level in that session.
The discounts (sibling and military*) will continue in effect.

*The Military Discount will be applied automatically if the Account Holder has identified him/herself as Military when entering a participant for the first time. If you are Active Duty Military and your file is not so annotated, please contact us at 410-730-1114, or via email at [email protected] to have your file updated.

Meet & Greet with Coach Jon Johnson

This month, we connected with Coach Jon Johnson, who recently received the Howard County Recreation and Parks “Good Sports” award for Coach of the Year. Jon is celebrating his 10th year as a coach for The First Tee of Howard County, and although born in Germany while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Army, has lived in Columbia since childhood. He works as an account executive at an IT consulting firm focused on cloud solutions and security. When he’s not coaching golf, playing golf or working, you can find him coaching wrestling, enjoying fantasy football and rooting for the Dallas Cowboys.

Q: When did your love of golf begin?

A: I became interested in golf at a very young age. I was fortunate to have a father who played the game and taught me. The appeal for me was in how difficult the game. I loved being taught how to swing the club and the instant feedback you receive from the results on every swing. No matter how good you get, there is a never-ending quest to get better. Some of my fondest memories in life are of times spent with him on the course.

Q: What is your favorite part of coaching? A: I currently coach in our Target, Player, Par and Birdie levels. There is nothing more fun or gratifying than seeing a kid struggle to hit the ball, and then showing them how to do it and then seeing them light up with joy when they hit a good shot! Though I suppose I would say my favorite part is getting to know the kids, watching them grow up and seeing the great people they become as they move on to high school and college!

Q: What do you think sets The First Tee apart from other youth golf programs?

A: What I think sets the First Tee apart from other youth golf programs is that we are a youth development program. We spend a significant amount of time focusing on not just golf skills, but also life skills and our Nine Core Values (Confidence, Respect, Judgement, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, Courtesy, Honesty, Integrity and Perseverance). While we would love to produce great golfers, we are more focused on producing great young people who love and respect the game.

Q: What piece of advice would you share with other coaches?

A: What I would share with other coaches is that coaching kids is not a one size fits all proposition. All kids don’t respond to or receive coaching in the same way, so it is important to be patient, take time to get to know your kids, and understand their needs and how to motivate or inspire them.

Maryland State Golf Association (MSGA) Scholarship Applications Due August 31, 2018

The Maryland State Golf Association (MSGA) Scholarship was organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including to award educational scholarships to students having completed junior year of high school with a bonafide connection to golf.

Awards/Announcements: The MSGA will award scholarships in the order and in the amount recommended by the Scholarship Selection Committee, although the MSGA has the discretion to decrease the number of scholarships to be awarded. The MSGA will publicly announce the scholarship recipients at the year-end annual banquet. The MSGA will be identified clearly as the grantor of the awards. Each scholarship recipient will be notified of his or her award pursuant to a letter from the MSGA. Eligibility: The scholarship program will be open to those individuals who have provided services as employees and/or their children to MSGA member clubs/courses for a minimum of two (2) years, and/or students who have completed their junior year of high school with a bonafide connection to golf. Scholarship applicants will be evaluated on uniform objective standards. The same application form and evaluation system will be used for all applicants. All applicants must meet the minimum admissions standards of an educational institution (college, university, junior college, or vocational school) and must reasonably be expected to attend such an educational institution. All eligible applicants must be considered without regard to race, sex, religion, or national origin. Selection: The scholarship recipients will be selected by the Scholarship Selection Committee based solely on objective standards related to the purposes of the scholarships. Each applicant must submit a completed application form. Forms must also be completed by the applicant’s school principal, if applicable. The applicants should be evaluated on objective standards such as past academic performance, performance on tests designed to measure ability and aptitude for higher education, the candidate’s class rank, and financial need. Recommendations from instructors or other persons unrelated to the candidate, extra-curricular activities, and leadership contributions should also be considered. The school principal will submit the completed applications (other than the Candidate’s Statement, which will be submitted by the applicant) directly to the Scholarship Selection Committee in care of the MSGA. The MSGA will determine the amount of funds available in the aggregate for scholarships on an annual basis and will notify the Scholarship Selection Committee of the aggregate available amount prior to the Scholarship Selection Committee’s deliberations. The Scholarship Selection Committee will determine the dollar amount to be awarded to each recipient.

For more information regarding the scholarship and to download the application, visit https://msga.org/learn/scholarship-program/.

We hope that any and all eligible participants of The First Tee of Howard County will apply for this incredible opportunity for college scholarships! Please note that the deadline is approaching — all applications must be received by August 31, 2018.

Meet & Greet with Logan Lurie

This month, we’re catching up with participant Logan Lurie, a sophomore at Howard High who, in addition to playing at the ACE-level, mentors several First Tee classes, takes part in the LPGA e-Leader program, and chairs the Teen Advisory Board.

Q: How long have you been participating in The First Tee? A: I have been a participant for seven years. Q: Do you play any other sports or participate in other extra-curricular activities? A: I am a second year member of the Women’s Varsity Golf Team at Howard High. I qualified to play in the County and District Tournament this year. I am also in the Best Buddies Club, the Jewish Student Union club and a member of Mu Alpha Theta, the Math Honor Society. In the spring, I will be a mentor for Allied Golf (a program co-sponsored by The First Tee and Howard County School System). Outside of school activities, I am a member of BBG (B’nai Brith Girls), a Jewish youth group. In the past, I have held a variety of board positions. On the weekend, I work as a Teacher’s Aide at Beth Shalom Congregation Religious School. Q: Tell me about the national opportunities you’ve participated in through The First Tee. A: Last summer I was selected to attend the First Tee National Opportunity: USGA Learning Science through Golf Academy in New Jersey. During the five days, I worked with USGA engineers and scientists to design, build and test a device to measure green speed, visited the USGA Museum, visited Rutgers University Turf Management program, and had behind-the-ropes access at the LPGA US Womens Open. During the time there, we also met with the USGA interns in accounting, sports management, marketing and advertising to learn all about the different career opportunities in the golf industry. We also went to Top Golf one evening as an opportunity to interact with the other participants in a fun way. I met a lot of participants from all over the country and learned about their First Tee chapters. Q: Tell me about your project with The First Tee and Girl Scouts. A: In October, I was selected to attend the Outstanding Participant Leadership Summit (OPLS) in Orlando, FL. When I was accepted as one of the 28 selected, I had also been chosen as one of the top eight finalists for the Outstanding Participant Award. During my four days, we had sessions with a variety of golf and leadership presenters including the new First Tee CEO, Keith Dawkins; Annika Sorenstam; Steadman Graham; and First Tee alumni who were participating in the First Tee Alumni Summit at the same time. As a finalist, I was assigned one of the Nine Core Value to speak about at the final night gala. Former President George Bush gave the opening address and I spoke in front of 1,000+ attendees at the First Tee National

Meeting. As part of the OPLS selection process, a community service project is required. My project is a Girl Scout /First Tee program. I am developing a golf component to earn the Brownie Girl Scout Fair Play merit badge, which will include a workshop with local Brownie Troops. It will help them complete the steps to earn the badge and expose them to the Life Skills and Nine Core Values of The First Tee. Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from your experience with The First Tee? A: The greatest lesson The First Tee has taught me is how to have confidence in my actions. I actually spoke about confidence in my OPLS speech because I think The First Tee has helped me to be so much more confident. When I started The First Tee, I was very much like many young girls I see when mentoring: quiet and intimidated by others. However, through my years in The First Tee, I have been taught confidence in every activity. Starting by having to shake each other’s hands, I have been taught how to not be scared of situations even when they are not familiar. This helped a lot when attending these two national opportunities. I did not really know anyone going into either National event, but with the confidence I have gained from The First Tee, I was able to attend and enjoy both of these opportunities no matter how new the situation was. Q: How do you think being a participant in The First Tee may impact your future? A: Being a participant in The First Tee has taught me the value of volunteerism, which I think I will carry with me into the future. Through the Ace program, I have been mentoring younger classes of students. Seeing younger students enjoy the game of golf as much as I do makes me want to continue mentoring. I spend almost every spring day at the course mentoring, volunteering with the National School Program’s Champion Challenges, and Allied Golf. Volunteering has helped me to pass on my love for the game to different groups of people, which I find very rewarding. I think because the idea of giving back is such a large part of The First Tee that I will continue volunteering throughout my lifetime. Q: What would you tell other teens (especially girls) about why they should consider participating in The First Tee?

A: I would tell any teen, especially any teen girl, to get involved in The First Tee as fast as they can, no matter their golf experience or age. The First Tee has an impact on your life that no other activity can have on you. The First Tee teaches you and makes you live by Life Skills like Confidence, Perseverance, and Integrity that no other program or sport can. You should definitely consider participating because the national opportunities are an incredible way to meet your next best friends who love the same activities you do and you will make connections with people that you would have never meet. I might be a little biased, but joining The First Tee will probably be one of the best decisions you will ever make. Q: Anything else you would like to share? A: The First Tee has given me a community that I know I will be a part of for the rest of my life. I have seen first-hand how many cool opportunities The First Tee has given me, my sister, and my friends and I hope I can stay involved to help give the same opportunities to help children to come. I am very thankful for all of the experiences, friendships, and lessons I have gained from this amazing organization and I hope I can continue this program.

Trip of a Lifetime: Past Pebble Beach Raffle Winners Share Memories & Photos

We recently had a chance to catch up with Michelle Lurie, whose family was the big winner of our Pebble Beach Raffle in 2015. Read on to hear all about their incredible trip that cost them just the price of a raffle ticket: $100.

Q: It must have been exciting to find out you had won the raffle in 2015! Had you ever won a big prize before?

A: The year we won, The First Tee of Howard County was celebrating its 15th year as a chapter, so the raffle drawing coincided with a special dinner program. [Our daughter] Logan, as a First Tee participant, was selected to draw the winning ticket. When she pulled it out, she looked frightened. It turned out to be her dad’s ticket [Howard Lurie], and she was shocked! We had never won a big prize before. What a night!

Q: Tell us what lucky foursome went on your Pebble Beach trip. A: The Lurie Family: Howard and I along with our very own First Tee participants, Harper and Logan, made up our foursome. Q: What was your initial reaction when you first arrived at the hotel at the start of the trip? A: Pulling onto the grounds of the Inn at Spanish Bay, we knew we were in for quite the experience. We could hear the Pacific Ocean in the distance. We could see the golf course from practically every window in the lobby and hallways as we walked to our room. Even though it was summer, we used the fireplace in our room in the evenings. Q: Can you describe what it was like to play golf on a world-renowned golf course? How was it different from other courses you are used to playing? A: We arrived early for our tee time to take full advantage of the practice facilities (lots of practice greens and a huge range). We decided to take advantage of the caddie service — well worth it. They were so knowledgable about the layout of the course, its history and some trivia throughout the round. They even took some pictures of our foursome in action! Though they weren’t miracle workers — my score was still pretty high but who cares when the views of the Pacific were breathtaking! For the real golfers in our group, they loved the challenges each hole offered and the opportunity to play this amazing course!

Q: In addition to golf, what other experiences did you partake in as part of the trip? A: While at the resort, we got up early to take complimentary fitness classes and to work out in the gym. After golf, we sat on the couches that flanked one of the many outdoor firepits while we waited for the bagpiper to play at sunset. We intended to swim each evening in the heated pool, but after dinners, we came back to enjoy drinks by the roaring firepits. It was so serene and relaxing. We had dinner in the town of Carmel by the Sea and rode back on the scenic 17 Mile Drive-stopping at every pull over to admire the views and the pines along the coast — including the Lone Cypress. Another night we had an

incredible dinner in a converted fire station in Monterey. We passed on the Monterey Aquarium the last day to explore the coastal beaches and the redwoods all the way up the coast to Santa Cruz. We had intended to go south to Big Sur, but there was a wildfire that diverted us north. Q: Any other details you’d like to share about the trip? A: In addition to world class accommodations, golf outings and amazing dining, we had lots of other experiences on the “other coast.” It was the best vacation we ever experienced for $100. Even if we never won, the money raised by this raffle fundraiser benefits a great program, The First Tee of Howard County. Go ahead, take a chance — you could be the next winner! Purchase your 2017 Pebble Beach Raffle tickets here.

Meet & Greet with Dee Abrams

This month, we’re talking with Dee Abrams, mother to ACE-level participant and Howard High junior Alex Abrams. The Abrams family resides in Elkridge, and also includes Dee’s husband of 21 years, Clarence, and 20 year old daughter, Taylor. Read on to learn more about this First Tee parent’s perspective on how the program has impacted her daughter. If you missed last month’s interview with Alex Abrams, you can check it out here.

ACE-level participant Alex Abrams with her mother, Dee Abrams.

Q: How and when did you first hear about The First Tee?

A: Our family first heard about The First Tee program in a school newsletter about 5 years ago at the time we were looking for extracurricular activities for our daughter.

Q: As a parent, what appealed to you about the program?

A: There were many things that were appealing about The First Tee program but what stood out the most was that the program provided an inexpensive way for our daughter to learn the game of golf as she advanced through each educational level of the program.

Q: What has been the most surprising impact of the program on your family?

A: The biggest surprise is not only did our daughter fall in love with golf but now the entire family has some type of interest in the sport. Alex wants to play golf in college and is working hard to earn a college scholarship, her sister has participated in the Allied Golf program and we all spend time watching golf on TV as a family.

Q: How have you seen The First Tee benefit Alex as she’s moved up levels?

A: The First Tee program has benefited Alex by improving her golf game as she progressed up to the ACE level and strengthening her confidence in herself along the way. First Tee has played a big role in Alex being able to make her High School Golf team as a freshman and her being a key member of the team that has won multiple county championships.

Q: What would you tell another parent considering enrolling their child in The First Tee?

A: I would recommend The First Tee organization to other parents as not just a quality program that will teach their child the game of golf but also a place that will emphasize important values that will build their child’s character.

Q: How do you believe parents can be most effective in supporting The First Tee?

A: The biggest support parents could give would be to make sure that their child takes full advantage of all of the different opportunities that The First Program provides. There are quite a few different events and making sure that their children are active participates helps make each event a success.

Q: Any advice for the program staff or board about how the program can be improved?

A: I would recommend adding more opportunities for parents to get involved in either volunteering or having more golf activities where parents who play golf could bond and create memories with their children.