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THE FIRST TEE RECEIVES $40,000 GRANT
FROM THE FLORIDA GOLF LICENSE PLATE FUND
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (June 16, 2009) – The First Tee has received a $40,000 grant from the Florida Sports Foundation to implement The First Tee National School Program this year in 18 elementary schools in Hillsborough County.
More than 9,000 students a year will benefit from the National School Program, which introduces young people to golf, etiquette and The First Tee Nine Core Values as part of a structured curriculum that encourages personal character development in lessons taught during P.E. classes.
Grant awards made through the Florida Sports Foundation Junior Golf Grant Program are funded through the sales and renewals of the Golf Capital of the World license plate and are intended to assist Florida organizations in providing junior golf programs for economically disadvantaged youth, special needs children and others. Twenty-five dollars from each renewal fee goes toward this initiative.
“The Florida Sports Foundation has been instrumental in introducing a wide range of students to golf and the many positive values associated with the game,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee. “Through proceeds from sales of the Florida Golf License Plate, the foundation has contributed essential funding and other support to be able to deliver The First Tee National School Program in Tampa.”
Of the 18 schools located in the Tampa area, six are classified as Title 1 (60-89 percent of students are on free or reduced lunch) and three are Renaissance Schools, meaning 90 percent or more of the students are on free or reduced lunch.
Launched in 2004, The First Tee National School Program provides participating schools with modified equipment, a comprehensive curriculum and training for physical educators so they can deliver the program in a safe and fun manner. Fifty percent of P.E. professionals polled in a 2008 survey reported that use of The First Tee Nine Core Values – honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment -- have had a positive impact on student behavior in P.E. class.
“We are very excited to support The First Tee National School Program, which is one of the largest programs we have provided grant funding to,” said Christy Peacock Schnell, director of grants, special projects and events at the Florida Sports Foundation, which oversees the Junior Golf Grant Program. “The First Tee has done a wonderful job of teaching core values, golf skills and etiquette to children around the state, and we are excited to see more programs like this develop.”
For more information about the Florida Golf License Plate Fund and how it benefits nonprofit organizations in the State of Florida, visit www.flasports.com.
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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, FL 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 2.9 million participants in 49 states and five international locations – Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore. Former President George H. W. Bush serves as honorary chairman.
Media Contact: Steve Gerrish, (904) 940-4314 or sgerrish@thefirsttee.org.
