Elementary school students learn life lessons through golf thanks to Bank of America Championship $10,500 donation
For Immediate Release, May 14, 2008:
CONCORD, Mass., May 14, 2008 — Elementary school students will be taught how to meet some of life’s challenges through the game of golf thanks to a $10,500 donation from the Bank of America Championship that will make possible the expansion of The First Tee National School Program in Massachusetts.
Launched in 2004, The First Tee National School Program trains physical educators to introduce children to the game of golf and The First Tee Nine Core Values™ during regular physical education classes. With more than 2,000 participating elementary schools and support from the PGA TOUR, tournaments and other sponsors, the National School Program has established golf industry partnerships that encourage students to pursue their interest in golf and adopt its values beyond the classroom.
“We’re excited and proud to have helped introduce this program locally and to make it available to our children,” said tournament director Tracy West. “The tournament has a longtime relationship with The First Tee of Massachusetts, which has benefited from the tournament’s charitable contributions and from clinics held at the tournament for kids in The First Tee’s local programs.”
The Bank of America Championship’s National School Program donation will be used for curriculum materials, teacher training and equipment consisting of oversized clubs, tennis-style balls and a variety of targets suitable to the students’ ages. Local elementary schools initially taking part in The First Tee National School Program are from districts surrounding Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, site of the Bank of America Championship since 1984. They are:
- Acton School District
- Douglas Elementary School
- Gates Elementary School
- Luther Conant Elementary School
- McCarthy-Towne Elementary School
- Merriam Elementary School
- Concord School District
- Alcott Elementary School
- Thoreau Elementary School
- Willard Elementary School
- Sudbury School District
- General John Nixon Elementary School
- Israel Loring School
- Josiah Haynes Elementary School
- Peter Noyes Elementary School
The First Tee National School Program curriculum integrates the learning of skills, concepts and core values in each lesson. The First Tee Nine Core Values™ include honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. Once elementary school students are introduced to golf in physical education classes, the program connects the schools with the local golf community to ensure that “next step” opportunities are available for students.
“School sports programs always have incorporated lessons to build character, enhance self-esteem and generally make connections between what happens on the field and what takes place in life,” said William Chan, physical education teach at Luther Conant Elementary School. “This program will enable physical education instructors to introduce golf in a developmentally appropriate manner at the elementary grade level. The gym will become an incubator for teaching values and critical thinking along with physical skills.Students may even end up learning a game they can play throughout their lives for recreation and to keep physically fit.”
The twenty-eighth annual Bank of America Championship takes place June 17-22 at Nashawtuc Country Club. A full schedule of activities is planned during tournament week, according to West, culminating in three rounds of championship play. Initial commitments from Champions Tour pros to compete at Nashawtuc include more than 50 of golf’s top players: Jay Haas, the tournament’s 2007 champion, John Cook, Wayne Grady, Loren Roberts, Joey Sindelar and Jeff Sluman playing in their first Bank of America Championship, all-time Tour money leaders Jim Colbert, Allen Doyle, Bruce Fleisher, Tom Jenkins, Dana Quigley and Jim Thorpe, 2004 Masters champion Craig Stadler and World Golf Hall of Fame members Ray Floyd, Tom Kite, Gary Player, Nick Price and Curtis Strange, as well as Jim Dent, Bob Gilder, Scott Hoch, Tom Jenkins, Mark McNulty, Jerry Pate, Don Pooley, Tom Purtzer, Scott Simpson, Jim Thorpe, Bobby Wadkins and Denis Watson.
The Bank of America Championship is the longest running 54-hole event on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour and the only Champions Tour tournament played in New England. The tournament has donated more than $4.8 million to local charities in the past 27 years. Tournament information, tickets and volunteer opportunities are available at 1-866-559-GOLF or www.bankofamericachampionship.com.
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, Florida, 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 2.2 million participants and students in 48 states and four international locations – Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore. Former President George Bush serves as honorary chairman.
Contact:
Nick Ingala, Bank of America Championship, Office, 508-238-2800, njingala@comcast.net
