2023 Annual Review
Dear Friends of First Tee-Greater Washington, DC,
First Tee-Greater Washington, DC had another excellent year in 2023. Our life and leadership skills curriculum is making a difference for young people throughout the Greater Washington area. With 22 Golf Program locations and more than 260 elementary and middle schools implementing our School Program, we've impacted more than 160,000 young people ages 7-18 in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, MD, and Prince George's County, MD.
We are an inclusive, diverse organization serving all populations in our four territory coverage area. In fact, of the nearly 2,000 Golf Program participants, 70% are ethnically diverse and 36% are female.
In addition, according to recent surveys, 100% of parents surveyed said they would recommend First Tee to a friend and 56% said they've noticed a positive change in their child's behavior since starting First Tee classes. Our curriculum teaches honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and perseverance as well as how to manage friendships and relationships at school and home.
We had a record number of 17 participants attend First Tee National Opportunities including Innovators Forum, Game Changers Academy, Leadership Summit/Academy, Drive Your Future Academy, Participants Advisory Council, PURE Insurance Championship and the First Tee National Championship.
Lastly, we're very proud of the fact that the First Tee-Greater Washington, DC chapter was ranked #1 in 2023 among its peer group of similar market size chapters. We have a lot to look forward to in 2024 and would like to thank all of our donors, sponsors and partners for their continued support.
Anthony Kavanagh, Board Chairman
Jarrett Morrell, First Vice Chair
Clint Sanchez, Executive Director
OUR MISSION
To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf
2023 By The Numbers
First Tee Golf Program
First Tee School Program
Young people come to weekly classes at 22 golf facilities throughout Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, MD and Prince George's County, MD. While in class they learn character development and basic golf skills.
PE teachers are trained to deliver First Tee character development curriculum during physical education classes. The School Program is delivered in elementary and middle schools throughout our entire territory.
Golf program participants Ethnically diverse participants Female participants 70% 36% 1,857 Schools 263 160,000 Students reached 574 PE teachers trained
NATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Congratulations to these participants for earning First Tee National Opportunities
PGA TOUR Superstore Leadership Academy
Johan Choi
Josephine Nguyen
Jeremiah Persons
John Deere Drive Your Future Academy
MaKaila Francois
Christina Fuentes
First Tee Participants Advisory Council
Whitley Shields
Innovators Forum
Peter Chen
Christina Fuentes
Aidan McGee
ARECORDNUMBEROF17
FIRSTTEE-GWDCPARTICIPANTS
EARNEDFIRSTTEE
NATIONALOPPORTUNITIESIN2023
PGA TOUR Superstore Leadership Summit
Rida Karim
Ethan Miller
Xander Sehgal
Game Changers Academy
Christina Fuentes
Christina Martirosova
Sammi Nguyen
First Tee National Championship
Josephine Nguyen
PURE Insurance Championship
Diego DeJesus
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Congratulations to these participants for earning First Tee College Scholarships
Dave King Scholarship
Daryn Dickens
Zara Karim
Josephine Nguyen
Camille Pair
Norman Trinidad
Cheryl Fuentes Memorial
Scholarship for Perseverance
Diego DeJesus
Mary Doherty Memorial Scholarship
Nasira Majid
Jonathan Wildes Memorial
Scholarship
Daryn Dickens
Alex Francisco Aidan Liu
First Tee-GWDC
Young Professionals
Scholarship
Daryn Dickens
Xavier Francois
Josephine Nguyen
First Tee Scholars Program
Daryn Dickens
First Tee & First Tee-Greater Washington, DC awarded more than $50,000 in college scholarships to Chapter participants in 2023
Felicia and Jean Francois, First Tee-GWDC Parents
PARENT PERSPECTIVE
"We enrolled our son Xavier, at the age of five, and our daughter MaKaila, at the age of seven, in the First Tee program. We did not play golf ourselves, and we never imagined how much they would enjoy learning and playing the game. Both of our children embraced the program and have been selected to participate in various First Tee National Opportunities which allowed them to collaborate with other like-minded teens to create solutions as future leaders. We cannot think of an organization that has contributed more to their growth and development than First Tee-Greater Washington, DC. The coaches and golf families have become our "extended" family. We are truly grateful to First Tee for teaching them to be good golfers, but even greater people."
PARTICIPANT PERSPECTIVE
“Because of the First Tee, I am who I am. I have been part of the First Tee for 12 years, and during this time I have learned lessons that I can use on and off the golf course. I really liked being part of the amazing events the chapter hosts where participants can meet many great people and visit beautiful golf courses. I have met a lot of influential people through these tournaments, events and classes. My favorite part was being selected to play in the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. I am very grateful for everything First Tee-Greater Washington, DC has done for both me and my family. Because of the First Tee, I am who I am.”
Diego DeJesus, First Tee-GWDC Participant
FIRST TEE STARS AWARD WINNERS
2023 Nyles Smith Coach of the Year
Elvie Soeprapto
Paint Branch Golf Complex
2023 Raul Colon Volunteer of the Year
Nate Williams
East Potomac Golf Links
2023 Most Outstanding Participants
Josephine Nguyen
Northern Virginia
Xavier Francois
Prince George’s County
Back row l to r: Nate, Xavier
Front row l to r: Elvie, Josephine
FIRST TEE STARS AWARD WINNERS
“Coaching is an opportunity to give yourself back to your community. We build relationships everyday. When you’re on the golf course, the game teaches you confidence, to believe in yourself, to voice what you believe in and we need to share that with other people in a way that can make the world a better place.”
Coach Elvie
“Volunteering at its core is about being that positive resource, that positive change for someone. I think about my own life and all the help I had along the way and I certainly wouldn’t be where I am without some assistance, mentorship and guidance. And if I can provide that to someone else, that’s something that is really important to me.”
Coach Nate
“My favorite thing about golf is that it teaches you about adversity - the ability to fail fast and learn faster. You can’t let the last shot define you. You need to move forward and find a way to make that next shot count.”
Josephine
“I want to say ’thank you’ to all of my coaches. Some of them have known me since I was five years old and many of them really helped me out through my elementary, middle school and high school careers.”
Xavier
GOLF OUTING FUNDRAISERS
Thank you to all the golfers who participated in our 2023 Golf
Outing Fundraisers which raised nearly $1,000,000 to support programs and general administration at the Chapter.
2023 EVENTS
Argyle Pro-Am at Argyle Country Club
Politics & Pros at Woodmont Country Club
Marilyn Praisner Women’s Cup at Army Navy CC/Fairfax
River Bend Tournament at River Bend Club
YPC Scholarship Scramble at East Potomac Golf Links
Prince George’s County Tee-Off at Enterprise Golf Course
Connolly Cup at Kenwood Country Club
Core Values Cup at Belle Haven Country Club
2023 OUTSTANDING DONORS
Recognizing Donations of $10,000 or More
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
Altria
American Electric Power
Anthony P. Kavanagh
Andrew Sachs
Amazon Web Services
AT&T
BDO
Brightspot
Carl M. Freeman Foundation
Columbia Country Club
Columbia Foundation
Comcast NBCUniversal
Congressional Sports for Charity
Cushman & Wakefield
David King
First American Title Insurance
Florida Power and Light
.
General Dynamics
Grace and Michael De Latour
Harvey Cleary Builders
Henry Willner
Invited Clubs
Jim Bruyette
Karen Minora
Kroger
Michael Hopke
Michael Johnson
Mauloa Inc.
Mike Sramek
Michael B. Garner
Montgomery County Council
Morris Brown
National Association of Realtors
National Stone Sand & Gravel Assoc.
NIKE
PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation, Inc
PGA TOUR Superstore
PhRMA
PNC
Prince George’s County Council
Rita M. Meyer
Sandy Spring Bank
Sha Wang
Sharon and Joseph Callahan
Somsak Chivavibul
Southern Company
The Home Depot
The Integrated Companies
UPS Foundation
Walmart Wes Battle
World Wide Technology, Inc.
Building Game Changers www.firstteedc.org