Quick 9: Denise W

Mentoring

Denise W, First Tee – San Francisco 

1. Why is mentorship important?

It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed, especially since we now live in an extremely fast-paced world where expectations for us are very high, so having a mentor to guide us through our development process is definitely reassuring.

2. What makes someone a good mentor?

Listening and being able to communicate effectively are qualities that make someone a good mentor. With such qualities, a mentor will be able to offer constructive feedback which will aid in a mentee’s future development.

3. Who has been an impactful mentor to you?

My mom has definitely been the most impactful mentor for me.

4. What have you learned from her/him?

From my mom, I learned that no matter what the circumstances are, hard work pays off. My mom immigrated to the U.S. in hopes to find better future prospects for the family and despite not knowing any English, she still continued to work hard in the U.S. to achieve her goals. In the end, all of her hard work and efforts paid off because she was able to provide the basic necessities for our family and grant my siblings and I access to a higher education.

5. How did/does your mentor help encourage you?

My mom always tells me, “Don’t be afraid of failure. Just go for it!” These are words that I will always remember because they encourage me to try new things, even if I don’t necessarily succeed. It’s a way of telling me that failure is a learning experience and if I fail, I can keep trying.

6. Have you grown as a result of your mentor?

Yes, I have grown as a result of my mom. Her guidance has helped me become more disciplined and more open to new experiences and opportunities. Without her, I don’t think I would be the person I am today.

7. What would it mean to you to become a mentor? Or Do you serve as a mentor at your chapter or any other capacity?

For me, being a mentor is very meaningful and fulfilling because not only am I able to help others, I am also able to develop myself further as a leader.

8. Do you have any advice on how to choose the best mentor in your life?

Find someone who cares about you and is willing to take the time out of their busy day to listen to your needs and help you.

9. What has First Tee taught you about mentorship?

First Tee has taught me that both the mentor and mentee are learners. Both rely on each other as a resource for new perspectives and knowledge. It’s not a one way relationship where only the mentor is helping the mentee.

Quick 9: Ricky L.

Mentoring

Ricky L., First Tee – Tri Valley

1. Why is mentorship important?

Mentorship is important because it allows a chain of knowledge and wisdom from years of experience from mentors to be passed down to mentees, unlocking their potential. Mentorship gives underprivileged students guidance to take control of their own life.

2. What makes someone a good mentor?

A great mentor is someone who has as much common ground with the mentee as possible, such as similar circumstances, college, passions, and career trajectory. More importantly, a great mentor actively listens to the mentee, providing insightful feedback, advice, or opportunities in return.

3. Who has been an impactful mentor to you?

The mentor I have been paired with from the First Tee Scholarship, Jim Smith from Morgan Stanley, has been an amazing mentor, a key guide through all my academic, career, and spiritual difficulties.

4. What have you learned from her/him?

Through our monthly discussions together over the past year, Mr. Smith has given me an abundance of wisdom from his years of experience in becoming a Senior Wealth Portfolio Manager. Also, his advice has helped me get past my choice paralysis in deciding career pathways and majors in college.

5. How did/does your mentor help encourage you?

When I hear about Mr. Smith’s stories of his journey in finding, developing, and maintaining both a loyal client basis and talented team through ups and downs, I am inspired. Additionally, Mr. Smith provides so many life tools, advice, and books/video recommendations to help me stay on a healthy path and achieve career goals.

6. Have you grown as a result of your mentor?

Because of Mr. Smith, I have learned to prioritize my different goals and face my reality with a clear mind. Although remaining open to life, I truly want to serve the world, my community, and my family while also pursuing my passions in computer science, finance, and fitness.

7. What would it mean to you to become a mentor? Or Do you serve as a mentor at your chapter or any other capacity?

Being a mentor to someone is a true honor to me because I can impact someone’s life so personally. I am in Harvard’s Chinese Student Association, and as a sophomore, I am a mentor to freshmen paired with me. Although it can be worrying wondering if you are providing value to your mentees, remember that simply listening and sharing your experience can help them out.

8. Do you have any advice on how to choose the best mentor in your life?

Be open to all mentors, even if they may not align with you in certain aspects such as passions, hobbies, career path, or academic major. Hearing a different perspective may change your mind and open new pathways that you may have not considered. Listen to what your mentor truly has to say and keep asking questions.

9. What has First Tee taught you about mentorship?

First Tee has taught me that mentorship comes from a genuine care to better the world and your community, and that most often, mentees become mentors to future generations. Mentorship keeps the spirit of the First Tee alive as older students come back to volunteer their time to help their chapters.

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.

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.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PALM BEACH PAR 3

We had a fantastic three weeks of summer camp at the Palm Beach Par 3. The program completed its 8th year with generous funding from the Par 3 Foundation. To ensure social distancing, the number of students was kept below 14 campers each week and attended by a total of 36 students over the summer. The students had a great time, and we offer our sincere gratitude to Raymond Floyd, the Par 3 Foundation, and the staff at the Par 3 with huge thanks to Tony Chateauvert, PGA and Angie Young. We really appreciate our long-standing relationship with the Par 3 and everyone that makes this program possible each summer.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PALM BEACH PAR 3

We had a fantastic three weeks of summer camp at the Palm Beach Par 3. The program completed its 8th year with generous funding from the Par 3 Foundation. To ensure social distancing, the number of students was kept below 14 campers each week and attended by a total of 36 students over the summer. The students had a great time, and we offer our sincere gratitude to Raymond Floyd, the Par 3 Foundation, and the staff at the Par 3 with huge thanks to Tony Chateauvert, PGA and Angie Young. We really appreciate our long-standing relationship with the Par 3 and everyone that makes this program possible each summer.

CHAPTER AWARDED GOLD SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY

We are delighted to announce that our Chapter was awarded the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency for 2021. “From annual audits to utilizing an independent accountant, our staff and board members work tirelessly to achieve financial transparency for our non-profit organization,” said Chapter President Bobby Hendel. “We were very excited to receive this award.” Please visit GuideStar’s website to review our Chapter’s profile.

CHAPTER AWARDED GOLD SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY

We are delighted to announce that our Chapter was awarded the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency for 2021. “From annual audits to utilizing an independent accountant, our staff and board members work tirelessly to achieve financial transparency for our non-profit organization,” said Chapter President Bobby Hendel. “We were very excited to receive this award.” Please visit GuideStar’s website to review our Chapter’s profile.

DISCOUNT GOLF BALLS NEWEST SPONSOR

Discount Golf Balls recently joined our Chapter as our newest Nine Healthy Habit sponsor.  DCB’s owner, Jimmy Goodman, is the uncle of Jacie Goodman, one of our Chapter students. Jimmy is very proud of Jacie and has been very supportive of our organization. Discount Golf Balls is licensed and insured and has been in business for over 35 years and processes over 4 million golf balls each year! DCB pays industry leading prices for the balls they retrieve. If your lakes are full of golf balls please contact Jimmy at [email protected] for more information.

DISCOUNT GOLF BALLS NEWEST SPONSOR

Discount Golf Balls recently joined our Chapter as our newest Nine Healthy Habit sponsor.  DCB’s owner, Jimmy Goodman, is the uncle of Jacie Goodman, one of our Chapter students. Jimmy is very proud of Jacie and has been very supportive of our organization. Discount Golf Balls is licensed and insured and has been in business for over 35 years and processes over 4 million golf balls each year! DCB pays industry leading prices for the balls they retrieve. If your lakes are full of golf balls please contact Jimmy at [email protected] for more information.

TYLER ATTENDS INAUGURAL PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Thanks to an expanded partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, First Tee offered a first-of-its-kind leadership summit for our teen participants. The Leadership Summit is designed to strengthen the participants leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities, preparing them to transfer those skills to other scenarios they will face in the future. Chapter student Tyler Mistretta attended the summit at the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana with 19 other teenagers. The students participated in collaborative workshops in to challenge their conceptions of transformational leadership. First Tee’s core competencies of building character, self-confidence and resilience were an integral part of the experience, combined with a robust curriculum that explored the concepts of relationship building, positive risk taking, and character evaluation. “This was my last participant opportunity as a First Tee student before going to college,” said Tyler. “It was an unbelievable week as all 20 students learned so much and really bonded. West Creek Ranch is just awesome. I rode a horse for the first time, and everything was incredible, especially the hospitality, rooms, and food. I cannot thank Mr. Arthur Blank, Mr. Joe Gorman, First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstore enough for this once in a lifetime experience.” Pictured right: Tyler with Ralph Stokes, Director of Partnership Marketing at PGA TOUR Superstore and the beautiful backdrop of the mountain view from West Creek Ranch.

TYLER ATTENDS INAUGURAL PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Thanks to an expanded partnership with PGA TOUR Superstore and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, First Tee offered a first-of-its-kind leadership summit for our teen participants. The Leadership Summit is designed to strengthen the participants leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities, preparing them to transfer those skills to other scenarios they will face in the future. Chapter student Tyler Mistretta attended the summit at the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana with 19 other teenagers. The students participated in collaborative workshops in to challenge their conceptions of transformational leadership. First Tee’s core competencies of building character, self-confidence and resilience were an integral part of the experience, combined with a robust curriculum that explored the concepts of relationship building, positive risk taking, and character evaluation. “This was my last participant opportunity as a First Tee student before going to college,” said Tyler. “It was an unbelievable week as all 20 students learned so much and really bonded. West Creek Ranch is just awesome. I rode a horse for the first time, and everything was incredible, especially the hospitality, rooms, and food. I cannot thank Mr. Arthur Blank, Mr. Joe Gorman, First Tee and PGA TOUR Superstore enough for this once in a lifetime experience.” Pictured right: Tyler with Ralph Stokes, Director of Partnership Marketing at PGA TOUR Superstore and the beautiful backdrop of the mountain view from West Creek Ranch.

CHAPTER STUDENTS RECEIVE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Palm Beach Gardens PGA TOUR Superstore hosted our chapter’s annual scholarship award ceremony. Seven-chapter students celebrated their scholarship awards with parents, friends, coaches, staff and board members. Because of the generosity of the Peter G. Helie Family Scholarship (Peter pictured above right), Chapter Trustee Jon Orszag and the Andrew and Robin Hunt Charitable Fund, our chapter awarded a record $34,000 in scholarships to these deserving students. Students pictured left to right back row: Trevor Tarashuk attending Florida Gulf Coast University in the PGA management program. Sebastian Nachilly attending Ole Miss. Tyler Mistretta attending Florida Southern College where he will play on the golf team. Students pictured left to right front row: Nyla Sims attending University of Maryland Eastern Shore where she plays on the golf team and is in the PGA management program, Savannah Mansueti attending the University of Florida. Amber Steele attending Palm Beach State College. Alison Santini attending Palm Beach Atlantic University. Nyla, Alison, Tyler and Sebastian are employees of PGA TOUR Superstore and will continue to work at the store during college holidays and summer. Our scholarship fund is available to our students to apply who remain active in First Tee and our chapter through high school. Special thank you to our scholarship committee of: Lisa Bebout, Earnie Ellison, Maria Marino, Jennifer Hong and Christopher Burr.