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1. Why is mentorship important?Looking Back on the First Tee Leadership Summit
This August, we held our first ever First Tee Leadership Summit in the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana. This event took place for two weeks, bringing together 20 teens each week from across the country to develop leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities.
Through collaborative workshops, First Tee’s core competencies of building character, self-confidence and resilience played a huge part of the experience, to explore the concepts of relationship building, positive risk taking, and character evaluation.
We recently caught up with participant Benjamin Parris from First Tee – Denver to hear how this year’s event impacted him.
In Denver, I often hear the amazing experiences fellow participants have when they return from First Tee national events. Until the first week of August 2021, I had never experienced one for myself and I was not quite sure what to expect when I was selected for The First Tee Leadership Summit in Partnership with the PGA TOUR Superstore at Mr. Arthur M. Blank’s West Creek Ranch in Montana.
As soon as I arrived at the airport, I knew it would be a special week as I was immediately greeted by fellow participants and alumni chaperones. When we arrived at West Creek, even more participants were eager to greet us and introduce themselves. I knew I had formed relationships almost immediately, and those only got better as the week went on.
At the summit, we got to participate in activities such as horseback riding, archery, white water rafting, and other spectacular outdoor experiences. Also, during our days, we had the opportunities to listen to guest speakers like Dick Sullivan (CEO of the PGA TOUR Superstore), Ralph Stokes (the PGA TOUR Superstore’s Director of Partnership Marketing and former University of Alabama running back), Joe Shepard (a PGA TOUR Superstore Regional Manager), Stacie Monks (a PGA TOUR Superstore District Manager), and our keynote speaker Michael Vick (former NFL quarterback). We learned lessons in values, teamwork, skill sets, representation, and more.
Each day at the summit had a different theme. Our themes were: “relationships are the foundation for leadership,” “positive risk taking,” and “my character is me.” While our speakers were able to give us insightful words and stories on these themes, we learned just as much from our outdoor experiences as we did from our speakers.
On Tuesday, we focused on relationships and how trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. After hearing from Dick Sullivan and Michael Vick, six participants, including myself, departed for the ropes course while everyone else elected to horseback ride. When we arrived, we immediately had to build a relationship as we picked partners to ascend on a partner climb up a 30-foot wooden ladder. My partner Sam Gibbs from the First Tee of Fort Worth deserves a quick shoutout for putting her trust in me all week from the second we became partners at the ropes course.
On Wednesday, we worked on taking positive risks. My first risk of the day was waking up at 6:30 after a late night to go on a sunrise hike. Let me tell you, the views in Montana were spectacular, it was very much worth the risk of not sleeping in. Later that day I took another risk by going on a 3-hour horseback excursion, by far the longest I had ever been near another animal, besides my dog at home. My biggest takeaway from learning about positive risks were to approach people who think differently than you so you can challenge your own thinking and to seek out your own mentorships.
On Thursday, our final full day at the summit, we did a lot of self-reflection while thinking about how to own our characters. Stacie Monks began the day after another gorgeous sunrise hike. She posed the following question to all the participants. “What type of leader do you want to be?” She went onto discuss how to create a culture when you are leading others and how to empower them. Later that morning we had perhaps the hardest task of the entire summit, but also to me the most impactful. We were asked to complete this phrase. “This is what I believe about myself as a leader…” This wasn’t a simple sentence to complete, and to really answer the question, it required more than just a few sentences. To complete the thought, I had to reflect upon all the things I had been through that week at West Creek. I had to think about climbing with a partner, taking leaps of faith, the inspiration I had received from our speakers and workshops, and what I had learned from all the people around me. Later that evening, we sat around the fire pit as we listened and shared all 18 of us has discovered about ourselves as leaders.
My favorite part of the leadership summit was the comradery all of the participants formed. I got the opportunity to make 17 new friends, who over the course of the week felt like family. I know that I’ll be keeping in touch with them for years and years to come and can’t wait until I can see them again. For me, the week made me feel like a true member of the greater First Tee family. I had never met a fellow participant from outside of Colorado, but now I feel like I’m connected to the First Tee everywhere I go. I can’t wait to stay involved with the program as I go to college and beyond.
I want to thank the First Tee, PGA TOUR Superstore and West Creek Ranch staff one final time for giving me what was truly a life changing experience. The programming was phenomenal, and the experiences were irreplicable. I came back home truly knowing what type of leader I am and how I can continue to grow as a leader. I can’t wait to apply what I learned in Montana to our local programs in Denver as well as other extracurriculars I participate in. I feel honored that I was a part of the inaugural summit.
Benjamin Parris, First Tee – Denver
In Denver, I often hear the amazing experiences fellow participants have when they return from First Tee national events. Until the first week of August 2021, I had never experienced one for myself and I was not quite sure what to expect when I was selected for The First Tee Leadership Summit in Partnership with the PGA TOUR Superstore at Mr. Arthur M. Blank’s West Creek Ranch in Montana.
As soon as I arrived at the airport, I knew it would be a special week as I was immediately greeted by fellow participants and alumni chaperones. When we arrived at West Creek, even more participants were eager to greet us and introduce themselves. I knew I had formed relationships almost immediately, and those only got better as the week went on.
At the summit, we got to participate in activities such as horseback riding, archery, white water rafting, and other spectacular outdoor experiences. Also, during our days, we had the opportunities to listen to guest speakers like Dick Sullivan (CEO of the PGA TOUR Superstore), Ralph Stokes (the PGA TOUR Superstore’s Director of Partnership Marketing and former University of Alabama running back), Joe Shepard (a PGA TOUR Superstore Regional Manager), Stacie Monks (a PGA TOUR Superstore District Manager), and our keynote speaker Michael Vick (former NFL quarterback). We learned lessons in values, teamwork, skill sets, representation, and more.
Each day at the summit had a different theme. Our themes were: “relationships are the foundation for leadership,” “positive risk taking,” and “my character is me.” While our speakers were able to give us insightful words and stories on these themes, we learned just as much from our outdoor experiences as we did from our speakers.
On Tuesday, we focused on relationships and how trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. After hearing from Dick Sullivan and Michael Vick, six participants, including myself, departed for the ropes course while everyone else elected to horseback ride. When we arrived, we immediately had to build a relationship as we picked partners to ascend on a partner climb up a 30-foot wooden ladder. My partner Sam Gibbs from the First Tee of Fort Worth deserves a quick shoutout for putting her trust in me all week from the second we became partners at the ropes course.
On Wednesday, we worked on taking positive risks. My first risk of the day was waking up at 6:30 after a late night to go on a sunrise hike. Let me tell you, the views in Montana were spectacular, it was very much worth the risk of not sleeping in. Later that day I took another risk by going on a 3-hour horseback excursion, by far the longest I had ever been near another animal, besides my dog at home. My biggest takeaway from learning about positive risks were to approach people who think differently than you so you can challenge your own thinking and to seek out your own mentorships.
On Thursday, our final full day at the summit, we did a lot of self-reflection while thinking about how to own our characters. Stacie Monks began the day after another gorgeous sunrise hike. She posed the following question to all the participants. “What type of leader do you want to be?” She went onto discuss how to create a culture when you are leading others and how to empower them. Later that morning we had perhaps the hardest task of the entire summit, but also to me the most impactful. We were asked to complete this phrase. “This is what I believe about myself as a leader…” This wasn’t a simple sentence to complete, and to really answer the question, it required more than just a few sentences. To complete the thought, I had to reflect upon all the things I had been through that week at West Creek. I had to think about climbing with a partner, taking leaps of faith, the inspiration I had received from our speakers and workshops, and what I had learned from all the people around me. Later that evening, we sat around the fire pit as we listened and shared all 18 of us has discovered about ourselves as leaders.
My favorite part of the leadership summit was the comradery all of the participants formed. I got the opportunity to make 17 new friends, who over the course of the week felt like family. I know that I’ll be keeping in touch with them for years and years to come and can’t wait until I can see them again. For me, the week made me feel like a true member of the greater First Tee family. I had never met a fellow participant from outside of Colorado, but now I feel like I’m connected to the First Tee everywhere I go. I can’t wait to stay involved with the program as I go to college and beyond.
I want to thank the First Tee, PGA TOUR Superstore and West Creek Ranch staff one final time for giving me what was truly a life changing experience. The programming was phenomenal, and the experiences were irreplicable. I came back home truly knowing what type of leader I am and how I can continue to grow as a leader. I can’t wait to apply what I learned in Montana to our local programs in Denver as well as other extracurriculars I participate in. I feel honored that I was a part of the inaugural summit. The First Tee “Angels” Get Their Wings
2014 Angel Scholarship Program Recruits 10 Schools in First Week
LOWELL, ARK. (March 3, 2014) The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas (TFTNWA) is pleased to announce that its 2014 Angel Scholarship Program has recruited 10 “Angel” schools in its first week of operation. The “Angels” accepting their wings are: Holcomb, Asbell and Owl Creek elementary schools, in Fayetteville; Elmdale, Jones, Westwood and Bayyari elementary schools, in Springdale; Tucker and Eastside elementary schools, in Rogers; and, Cooper Elementary, in Bentonville/Bella Vista.
The Angel Scholarship Program, founded in 2013, seeks to provide scholarships to youth who might not otherwise be able to take part in TFTNWA programming. “Our 2014 Angel ScholarshipProgram will seek to recruit 16 elementary schools in Benton and Washington counties with a goal of inviting over 400 deserving students to take part in The First Tee programming at no charge,” said TFTNWA Director of Outreach, Elizabeth Prenger.
“Each elementary school willing to serve as an ‘Angel’ will identify 25 students who will be invited to accept a scholarship that will pay the students’ annual registration fee and class registration fees for the seven sessions of The First Tee programming offered in 2014,” continued Prenger. The value of each scholarship will be over $200.00 for each participant.
In addition, each “Angel” elementary school will be invited to send its entire fourth grade student population to a TFTNWA Fourth Grade Field Day at the Tyson First Tee Learning Center in Lowell. Each Field Day will offer the students the opportunity to experience the Learning Center’s JB Hunt driving range, the General Mills three-hole golf course and the NWA Championship short game center. Field Day students, while being introduced to golf, also participate in educational exercises matching the Fourth Grade Core Curriculum standards in science, math and health/wellness.
“Our ability to recruit ‘Angel’ elementary schools is enhanced by the relationship that has been established through The First Tee National School Program”, said TFTNWA Executive Director Mike Shea. “We have provided 56 elementary schools in 13 school districts throughout Northwest Arkansas with the National School Program’s teacher training and equipment to provide The First Tee golf and life skills experience programming in their Physical Education curriculum,” Shea continued.
“As an organization, we are committed to insuring that all youth have the opportunity to take part in our Golf and Life Skills Experience programming,” Prenger emphasized, “and it is of particular importance to include those who cannot afford it.” TFTNWA is now actively recruiting individual, business and corporate investors through its Associate Member program. “Obviously, if we are successful, this is an expensive program and we can use all the support we can get,” says Prenger.
Champion Golfer Cristie Kerr to Lead Girls Only Golf Clinic at The First Tee
LOWELL, ARK. (June 24, 2014) The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas (TFTNWA) is inviting the public to view a girl’s only golf clinic led by world famous LPGA professional, Cristie Kerr. The hour long clinic will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24 at The Tyson First Tee Learning Center in Lowell. Kerr is in Northwest Arkansas for the NWA Walmart Championship presented by P&G.
“We were thrilled to hear that Cristie was willing to take time away from her hectic tournament schedule to work with our girls here at The First Tee,” says Elizabeth Prenger, Director of Outreach for TFTNWA. “With her dedication to the game and the success she has had as a female athlete, Cristie is a positive role model for all girls, on and off the course.”
This is not The First Tee’s only attempt at providing opportunities to young women in Northwest Arkansas. “Our girl’s only golf classes began in June,” said TFTNWA Program Director, Brian Thomas. “We thought it was important to increase the participation of girls and to provide a comfortable educational and social environment that the girl’s only classes create. Our female volunteers are enjoying their larger mentoring role, as well,” Thomas concludes.
Coca-Cola, a large supporter of the organization, made this dream clinic a reality. “We are fortunate to have our corporate sponsors and Coca-Cola always brings something exciting to the table,” explains Mike Shea, Executive Director. “They knew how impactful this clinic would be for our girls and the attention that Cristie would bring to The First Tee.”
To-date, Cristie Kerr has accumulated 16 LPGA victories, including two major Championships (2007 U.S. Women’s Open and 2010 LPGA Championship), 7 Solheim Cup appearances, 3 Wendy’s Three tour victories and over 140 top ten finishes. To find out more about Kerr’s impressive golfing career, visit www.cristiekerrgolf.com.
For more information on The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas, visit www.TheFirstTeeNWAr.org.
Local Teen Selected to Play with Pro Golfers on Champions Tour in Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach
Hanna Brauburger heads to Pebble Beach Week of Sept. 22
Lowell, Ark. (July 14, 2014) – The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas (TFTNWA) is sending Hanna Brauburger to compete in the 2014 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, an official Champions Tour event that will be held September 26-28 and televised internationally on Golf Channel.
Brauburger will join 80 other participants from The First Tee chapters for the event, which is in its 11th year.
“Nature Valley is proud to be associated with this event, and thrilled to see these juniors get the call of a lifetime,” said Joe Ens, vice president of marketing at General Mills. “The First Tee is doing incredible work helping young people learn important life lessons like the Nine Core Values. We look forward to welcoming Hanna and the full junior field at this year’s tournament.”
Brauburger was selected by a national panel of judges who evaluated playing ability and comprehension of the life skills and character education learned through their involvement with The First Tee. More than 150 applications were submitted.
Champions Tour players committed to play include two-time Nature Valley First Tee Open winner and defending champion Kirk Triplett, Charles Schwab Cup contenders Jay Haas and Kenny Perry and a number of World Golf Hall of Fame members.
“Words just cannot describe how much this means to me,” Hanna Brauburger remarks. “All I can say is thank you, for all the people who believed that I could make it, and thank you to Nature Valley for sponsoring an event that gives these opportunities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.” Brauburger and the other juniors will be teamed with 81 Champions Tour players and 162 amateurs as they compete for the pro-junior title at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course. Play will be conducted on these courses on Friday and Saturday, and the final round will be played on Pebble Beach Sunday. “Hanna is especially deserving of this opportunity as she has been in the program since the very beginning,” says Program Director, Brian Thomas. “She has gone from a participant, completed all certification levels of The First Tee and is now a First Tee coach and mentor. I am very proud of Hanna and I know she will be a great representation of The First Tee and Northwest Arkansas.” TFTNWA is one of 177 chapters around the country and in select international locations. Serving Northwest Arkansas since 2005, more than 30,000 young people each year have been served through chapter programs and The First Tee National School Program, which is currently in 56 elementary schools throughout Northwest Arkansas. The programs are focused on building character through The First Tee Nine Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment. To learn more about TFTNWA visit www.thefirstteeNWAr.org. For more information on the 2014 Nature Valley First Tee Open, visit www.thefirstteeopen.com. For more information on Hanna, to request an interview or photos, please contact Elizabeth Prenger at [email protected] or (479) 419-5807.Local Teen Selected to Attend Auntie Anne’s Leaders & Entrepreneur Forum at Walt Disney World
LOWELL, ARK. (September 19, 2014)– Calli Heriaud from The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas (TFTNWA) has been selected to attend Auntie Anne’s Leaders & Entrepreneurs Forum in Orlando, Fla. Oct. 16-19. Heriaud will join 50 participants of The First Tee, ages 13-17, to participate in this national event.
The three-day forum, held at the Walt Disney World Resort, will introduce participants to interactive sessions covering career development and community leadership from executives and franchise partners of Auntie Anne’s – the world’s largest hand-rolled and freshly-baked soft pretzel chain. They will also learn about the franchising business model and what it is like to own and operate an Auntie Anne’s store.
“Auntie Anne’s is proud to partner with The First Tee to sponsor this year’s Leaders & Entrepreneurs Forum,” said Bill Dunn, President and COO, Auntie Anne’s. “We are excited for the 50 participants who were selected, and look forward to hosting them in October as they learn more about career development and community leadership. We consider it an honor to play a small role in developing and influencing the next generation of leaders.”
Heriaud, 18, is a homeschooled senior in Bella Vista and has been active at TFTNWA since 2007. Her other interests include playing and teaching piano as well as photography. She is involved with her church’s youth group, where she volunteers for children’s programs. Heriaud works at a local pharmacy and loves to be in the presence of family and friends.
“I submitted my application because I felt it would be a great opportunity to learn what it means to be an entrepreneur,” explains Heriaud. “I am very excited and look forward to learn about being a leader in my community. I am incredibly blessed by every opportunity The First Tee has provided to me. I am so excited to be selected to attend this year’s Auntie Anne’s Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum.
“Calli is a wonderful role model for our younger girl participants,” said TFTNWA director of outreach, Elizabeth Prenger. “She set a high goal for herself and displayed confidence and perseverance in order to obtain her goal. We are so proud of her and I know she will represent our chapter very well in Orlando and beyond.”
For more information about The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas, visit www.thefirstteeNWAr.org. To request an interview with Heriaud, call (479) 419-5807.
First Tee TRICK-OR-TREAT OPEN, Presented by Coca-Cola
LOCAL NONPROFIT HOSTS FREE COMMUNITY WIDE TRICK-OR-TREAT EVENT
Rogers, Ark. (October 27, 2014)– On Saturday, November 1 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas will turn the Heritage High School Indoor Training Facility into a giant putt-putt course, with a goal of providing a free and safe Halloween event for families throughout Northwest Arkansas. The course will be made up of 23 themed putting holes, each sponsored by local, regional and national businesses. First Tee is expecting 1,000 people to attend, based off of last year’s numbers.
“We love being a part of this event because it provides a sense of community and celebration,” says Robert Rivera, Director of Sales at The Coca-Cola Company. “The families that attend know that The First Tee is a trustworthy organization and they feel safe in bringing their children here for a fun, candy-filled experience.”
The sponsoring companies will decorate their hole with a theme of their choice, bring their volunteers to assist the kids going through the course and, of course, hand out lots of treats.
“This is a great way to provide our organization’s supporters with an additional opportunity to give back to the community,” says director of outreach, Elizabeth Prenger. “Everyone involved in this event has a wonderful time and it cannot be possible without our amazing sponsors and volunteers.”
The 2014 First Tee Trick-or-Treat Open hole sponsors are: Coca-Cola, presenting sponsor; Arkansas Alumni Association; Cox Cable; Creative Awards/MoxyOx; Friendship Community Care; General Mills; Heinz; Heritage High School Golf Team; Kendrick Fincher Hydration; McDonalds; Northwest Arkansas Naturals; NWA Tobacco and Drug Free Coalition; Riders United 4 Children; Roblee Orthodontics; Rogers High School Golf Team; Rogers Fire Department; Rogers Police Department; SimpleX Payroll; Store of the Community; Tyson Foods; University of Arkansas Women’s Golf Team; and Walmart.
For more information on The First Tee, please visit www.TheFirstTeeNWAr.org.
Local Golfers Play with Champions Tour Professional in ACE Group Classic Official Pro-Am in Naples, Fla.
The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas Wins Golf To Paradise—First Tee Champions Challenge; Advance to ACE Group Classic Official Pro-Am
ROGERS, Ark. (February 10, 2015) – Hanna Brauburger and Wade Schaller, two Benton County student-athletes and participants at The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas, have qualified to play in the ACE Group Classic Official Pro-Am, paired with Champions Tour Professional Sonny Skinner. Brauburger and Schaller beat six First Tee chapters from around the country in the Golf To Paradise- First Tee Champions Playoff and Golf To Paradise- First Tee Champions Challenge before advancing to the Pro-Am.
The ACE Group Classic will be hosted at TwinEagles Golf Club on February 9-15. This Champions Tour event has been held since 1988, and will feature 81 of the world’s best players battling for a $1.6 million purse.
“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two promising golfers to compete for a chance to play with Champions Tour players,” said Mike Shea, Executive Director of The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas. “Our players are certainly looking forward to flying south to Naples, especially at this time of the year. We appreciate the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB for creating this opportunity for our golfers to expand their experience in the game of golf and to play on a world-class stage.”
Sonny Skinner is an American golfer who joined the Champions Tour in 2010 once he turned 50. His professional wins include the 1993 NIKE Shreveport Open, 1994 NIKE Dominion Open, 2009 Georgia PGA Championship and 2012 Georgia PGA Championship. Skinner was named the PGA Professional of the Year in 2008 and the Senior PGA Professional of the Year in 2010, becoming the first person to win both awards. He is a PGA teaching professional at the River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Georgia.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth Prenger, Director of Outreach, The First Tee NWA 479) 419-5807 or [email protected]
About The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas TFTNWA is dedicated to impacting the lives of all the youth in Northwest Arkansas by providing learning facilities and educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
Best Collision Sponsors Cooper Field Day!
Local Business Sponsors Unique Learning Opportunity for Bentonville Elementary School
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (Thursday, April 16, 2015) – Best Collision, Inc. is sponsoring an educational experience, unlike any other, for a local Bentonville elementary school. The 140 fourth graders at Cooper Elementary will visit The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas’s (TFTNWA) Learning Center in Lowell for a day of learning classroom lessons out on the golf course.
“The First Tee has personally influenced my family, especially my sons, who learned strong values and good manners from The First Tee coaches” says Best Collision owner, Kevin Morey. “Children need a safe place to go after school and The First Tee provides that for our community. Parents should know that this program, and the game of golf, provides such a positive impact on their kids. That is why we wanted to get involved and sponsor the Field Day experience for Cooper Elementary.”
With the help of fourth grade teachers, TFTNWA developed a Field Day Curriculum which provides the students with a State Standards-based day of hands on educational benefits in math, science, life skills, and physical activity, all through the game of golf. Students at the Field Days visit three stations: the driving range, where they experience the full golf swing and how to gauge distance; the short game center for an introduction to chipping along with an explanation of club loft angles; and the putting green, where they see the effect that a shorter club and less force have on how far ball will travel.
The First Tee Field Day is designed for up to 150 students per school and over 1,800 fourth and fifth grade students will visit The First Tee Learning Center between April and June. Best Collision’s sponsorship covers the cost for Cooper’s bus transportation, lunch for students and teachers, facility fees and coaching staff.
“I am so excited that Best Collision is investing in The First Tee Field Day Program, which is one of my favorite programs to be involved in at our chapter,” says Elizabeth Prenger, director of outreach for TFTNWA. “The kids get so much out of this field trip and we receive overwhelming positive feedback not just from the students, but also the teachers and parents.”
About The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas TFTNWA is dedicated to impacting the lives of all the youth in Northwest Arkansas by providing learning facilities and educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth Prenger, Director of Outreach, The First Tee of Northwest Arkansas
(479) 419-5807 or [email protected]