Checking in on the First Tee College Scholarship Class of 2020
By Sara Wright, Guest Blogger
PGA TOUR Staff
Beyond First Tee’s core programming, which focuses on empowering kids and teens to build strength of character through active learning experiences, First Tee has designed a college scholarship program to provide further life skill development and mentorship for alumni throughout their collegiate career.
The First Tee College Scholarship Program was relaunched this year to support deserving students across the country as they pursue their dreams of higher education. This program not only provides financial assistance, but professional development workshops, access to post-graduate employment opportunities, and pairs the scholars with dedicated mentors in their field.
On the heels of the recent announcement highlighting TruGreen’s partnership with First Tee and the expansion of the First Tee College Scholarship Program, we took the opportunity to check-in with this year’s nine scholarship recipients. Through the program, the scholars have attended a pre-college retreat and have been paired with their mentors who will help guide them through the next four years of their college experience. We wanted to hear what it’s been like for them navigating their freshmen year during a pandemic and how the lessons learned in First Tee have set them up for success.
“For me, the greatest skills and lessons from First Tee have all been surrounding perseverance,” said Sara Rintoul, First Tee — Central Florida alumna and University of Florida freshman. “Between COVID, moving to a new city, and actually beginning college classes, I have certainly encountered many learning curves. But often, when I face a challenge or just feel unsure about myself, I remember the countless First Tee classes I attended in which coaches and even my peers would encourage perseverance. I was prepared to face difficulties with a positive and tactical mindset. This mindset is what has made my college experience thus far successful – or at least manageable at times when it was trying.”
Luke Boldt from First Tee — Coastal Carolinas agrees with Sara regarding the power of perseverance. Boldt is attending East Carolina University where he is majoring in Public Health.
“Starting out in college has been tough and I have used perseverance to push through the hardships of classes and maintain academic proficiency, while also managing a social life,” Boldt said. “Perseverance is no doubt one of the most important traits I have learned from being involved with First Tee. I don’t know where I’d be without this program and all it has given me.”
Denise Wei of First Tee – San Francisco is currently studying Business Administration at the University of California, Irvine. She has also found a ton of value in First Tee’s perseverance lessons, as she’s currently taking all of her classes remotely, from home, and says that even though she took virtual classes during her last year of high school, online classes at the university level feel completely different.
“Each class is filled with more than 200 students and it’s hard to get that one-on-one interaction with my classmates as well as the professor,” Wei said. “Also, since classes are virtual, I have to rely on myself to get things done and keep track of the assignments that are due. Perseverance has been extremely important, as I have been flooded with homework the first two weeks of school and with perseverance, I was able to get through it. I realized that college isn’t as easy as I thought it was, but I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals.”
Kelly Low from First Tee — Fort Worth has had a good experience taking online classes through the University of Texas at Dallas, but says every week holds a new challenge.
“In the past, I struggled a lot, whether that was with my grades or playing golf,” she admits. “But First Tee taught me how to navigate through challenges, embracing that struggle, and most importantly to have confidence in myself and what I can accomplish.”
Ricky Lam started school this fall at Harvard University. He is also in a virtual learning environment, studying linear algebra, microeconomics and classical Chinese philosophy, while living in student housing in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“My college experience has been amazing,” Lam said. “Because of the pandemic, much of the rush for socializing has slowed down and become more inclusive, helping me feel less overwhelmed with the transition to college. I have been able to use First Tee’s focus on open-ended questions to become more vulnerable, caring, and curious to meet those around me, facilitating deeper and more enjoyable conversations.”
Lam, an alumnus of First Tee — Tri-Valley, went on to tell about how important it was to meet his mentor, James, who was able to give him practical insights into what his future in finance, private equity and financial advising could look like.
“We had such a fulfilling first conversation,” Lam added. “His story, his ups-and-downs and his immense perseverance throughout his career in finance was truly inspiring to me. I am so grateful to First Tee for this experience.”
First Tee — Miami alumna Nicole Monsalve is planning on majoring in economics at Duke University, and despite the COVID regulations that have been implemented on campus, she also has been able to get to see new faces (the top half at least) and make friends that have made this transition a little less challenging and a lot more fun.
“Courtesy is a big value that I am focusing on here in college,” Monsalve said. “I have made sure to learn the names of the cleaning crew in my building, the ladies and gentlemen in the cafeteria, the guys at the smoothie bar I go to, and those that oversee the gym, so that every time I see them I am able to give them a proper greeting and call them by their name. It may seem small, but you can see how happy they are when you go out of your way to recognize them. In doing this, the school feels more like a community and I feel more at home.”
Remi Shendell of First Tee – Metropolitan New York has been able to live on campus and take a couple of classes in person while studying Human Health and Biology at Emory University.
“Although it is different than what I imagined college would be like, I am enjoying the people, surroundings, and the new independence that I have,” Shendell said. “One of the most important skills I learned from First Tee was introducing myself and reaching out to people. Living at college in a pandemic can be isolating because there are a lot of new people and not that many scheduled opportunities to meet them in person. First Tee gave me confidence in my social skills, whether it be introducing myself to a fellow classmate or talking to a professor.”
Now, of course, not every scholar was able to attend their intended school this fall. Blake Brantley from First Tee — Triad was set to attend Yale University, but due to COVID limitations, decided to take a gap year instead. Brantley did still attend First Tee’s pre-college retreat and really appreciated all the speakers and information that was provided to keep him on track.
“One of my biggest takeaways came from the time-management portion,” said Brantley of the retreat. “Here we talked about building plans and schedules to help keep us on track every day which has helped me keep moving toward my goals. Everyone within the First Tee organization is very eager to help us all succeed and are happy to provide us with any tools we might need to reach our full potential.”
Jessica Jiao, who participated at First Tee —Metropolitan New York, is currently attending Georgetown University. She also felt the tremendous support from First Tee during the pre-college retreat.
“I had so many people supporting me and as the program goes on, I will always have a team of “go-to people” whom I can rely on for help during my college journey. Through communicating with my First Tee peers, working with my coaches and counselors, I’ve become comfortable with reaching out to others. May it be for help, guidance or support, communication has been one of the most important skills in my life and I’m thankful I was given the chance to collaborate with others through First Tee.”
Applications for next year’s First Tee College Scholarship Program will open to First Tee students in early 2021. For more information, visit firsttee.org.
When 2020 kicked off, we had so much to look forward to this year as a network. We set goals, made plans and had big dreams for the year ahead. Then March hit.
Like for many others, the pandemic has brought its fair share of challenges – cancelled events, programs and trainings – but with the help of a determined network, resilient participants and a focused mission, we remain steadfast in our effort to provide opportunities to empower youth to thrive. Afterall, it’s not always about the easy wins when everything goes as planned. What matters most is how we react when challenges arise and we face adversity.
Miriam Dumes, alumna from First Tee — Greater Houston put it best, “I learned that every challenge is to put me on my path and to test my talent with an opportunity for me to show my full potential. I learned to welcome new experience and challenges.”
In this season of thankfulness, we have an opportunity to evaluate what is important in our lives. Below are just a few things that we are incredibly thankful for in the year 2020.
Connecting with teachers in new and innovative ways to deliver our school program virtually.
Like our participants, what makes our chapters so special is that each one is unique in its own way. We celebrate their diverse perspectives because it makes our work even more powerful. Yet one thing that remains consistent at every chapter is their passion for supporting the next generation and the communities they live in.
One way our chapters are doing this is by creating a space that makes every individual feel like they belong. A culture of acceptance is deeply rooted in our values as an organization as we seek to understand walks of life that are different from our own.
Two of our chapters, First Tee — Greater Pasadena and First Tee — Korea, have brought this to life in a meaningful new way. In 2019, the two chapters became official sister chapters in an effort for participants to share cultural experiences and explore opportunities beyond their community.
Recently, participants and coaches from the two chapters were able to meet virtually to discuss a trending topic in communities across the globe: returning to school during a pandemic.
During the video call, participants shared how they’re feeling and handling the return to school.
Gloria from First Tee — Korea shared, “I think I should take responsibility for myself because if I don’t follow the rules, I could put my friends and family at risk.”
Through the meeting, the participants realized that they have quite a bit in common despite growing up thousands of miles apart. They’re all adjusting to the “new normal,” and are leaning on the character strengths they’ve developed through First Tee to help conquer these challenges.
Bob Baderian, Executive Director for First Tee — Greater Pasadena, summed up the experience:
“This very positive partnership between First Tee — Greater Pasadena and First Tee — Korea encourages participants to share their experiences and perspectives and provides opportunities to educate them about the culture and history of their respective countries and communities. These meetings have resulted in increased knowledge and appreciation of cultures and lifestyles between our two chapters.”
Founded in 2006, First Tee — Greater Pasadena has served more than 200,000 kids and teens. First Tee — Korea was founded in conjunction with the 2015 Presidents Cup and is one of six international chapters within the First Tee network.
The sister chapters have a goal to one day provide an in-person experience for their participants to meet.
This pandemic, among other challenges this year, has been more than we could have ever anticipated. It’s stories like these, of coming together to learn, appreciate, and build relationships, that inspire us as we work to empower youth to be game-changers and make this a better world.
First Tee — Metropolitan New York is one of 51 First Tee chapters to receive a grant from the USGA towards their ongoing commitment to making the game more accessible and welcoming for juniors. In addition to the $200,000 that went to chapter grants, the association pledged $125,000 to help First Tee headquarters develop innovative digital tools that enable stronger connections between juniors, parents, chapters and coaches, bringing the USGA’s total investment to $325,000 for 2020.
“Year after year we are seeing the positive impact that First Tee and other junior programs are having in breaking down barriers and connecting communities through sports,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “It is vital for golf’s long-term health that we continue to create pathways for all juniors to participate.”
First Tee brings kids and teens to the game of golf and leverages it as a catalyst for personal growth through experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience. Through chapters in 150 communities and more than 10,000 schools and 1,200 after-school partnerships, First Tee reaches kids ages 5-18 from all backgrounds.
This time of year, many college students are preparing to head to their school and prepare for the upcoming school year. But this year looks different, especially for many student-athletes like Jakari Harris. Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, some universities have made the difficult decision to cut programs from the athletic department. This can be devastating for students who are also losing their scholarships, which means they are now paying for their education.
First Tee – Metro Atlanta alum, Jakari Harris, is doing something about it. A graduate of Hampton University and a former member of the golf team, Jakari was disheartened to learn that the golf team’s funding had been cut upon her graduation. She and a few other teammates have since started a 
First Tee emphasizes the fact that participants not only learn golf skills, but also life skills. A lot of the values I hold near and dear to my heart are the very values that were taught in First Tee classes. My personal favorites were integrity and perseverance. Aside from life skills I learned, I also gained a family with First Tee. All of the coaches at my home chapter were extremely supportive to me on and off the course. They went above and beyond, and I consider many of them as my mentors.
First Tee camps always presented me with both new experiences and challenges. I soaked in all the instruction I could from every drill and practice session. Whenever I faced a challenge, I referred back to what I was taught earlier and tried to apply it. When I wasn’t successful, I could always ask one of the coaches for help. This is the same way I take on the new experiences and challenges in life. I take the experience for what it is and try to learn as much as I can. Then, I look at the challenges from every angle possible. Because of First Tee, I have no problem asking for help and learning from my mistakes.
One of my First Tee mentors is Coach Brittny Lott, and I actually still keep in contact with her regularly. She actually does my hair from time to time. Her love for the Lord pushes me to develop a better relationship with God. She was very patient and encouraging when I first met her. Because of my competitiveness, I would sometimes be too hard on myself when I didn’t perform well during competition. She would give me encouraging words and talk me down.
I called her after one of my tournaments in college when I shot a terrible score. I just kept saying “I don’t know why I keep doing this. I know I can do better than this.” She brought up a very good point that will always be in the back of my mind. Things happen in golf that you can’t control. Even professionals have their off days. Instead of reacting to what I scored on the last hole, I can choose to not give up and do my very best from then on. If you can walk away knowing you did your best, that’s all you can ask for.
First Tee coaches have had one of the biggest impacts on my life. They care about each and every participant. Even when I would go to a First Tee camp where I didn’t know anyone, the coaches made me feel so welcome and at home. The relationships I have formed through this organization are priceless.
Looking forward, I eventually want to become a professor at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). After graduating in STEM from an HBCU, I know that there are very good students there who just need better resources. I was able to end up where I am because of resources I came across and relationships I developed. I am now in the Biomedical Engineering PhD program at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
First Tee taught me how to network and keep in contact with the people you meet. Sometimes it’s more about WHO you know than WHAT you know. The core values I learned will help me through grad school and beyond.
If you wish to help support Jakari and her fellow Hampton Golf Alumni in their efforts to off-set the lost scholarships and bring the golf program back, visit their