University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond Hosts Inaugural First Tee Life Skills Academy
06/14/2004 | Women's Golf
June 14, 2004
Richmond, VA - Forty-nine teenagers from The First Tee learning facilities across the country have been selected to attend the inaugural Life Skills Academy at the University of Richmond, taking place June 15th through June 20th. Participants were nominated by their respective Chapters and then required to submit an application, including written essays describing their understanding and knowledge of life skills.
The purpose of the academy is to provide The First Tee participants with enhanced character-education and leadership instruction from The First Tee's Life Skills curriculum. The sessions feature workshops, career exploration seminars and golf clinics taught by world-renown PGA/LPGA professionals Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. Several Chapter representatives also will be on-hand to provide instruction and learn new training methods.
A special scholarship symposium will take place on June 15th and June 16th to introduce the academy participants to The First Tee Scholars Program. University of Richmond freshman Lauren Brown, a former participant of The First Tee of Phoenix and member of the 2003 Class of The First Tee Scholars, will speak to the participants about the value of striving for success in high school and the benefits of becoming a Scholar.
Participants learn about themselves and others during this rewarding experience. Many of these young adults have never flown on an airplane or traveled to another state. Most have never been away from home and on their own for a week.
The First Tee has been conducting Life Skills Academies since 2000. This is the first academy to be held at the University of Richmond. The goal is to enhance the national program, recognize and reward exceptional youth for their accomplishments and teach them important mentoring skills that they can take back to their local Chapter.
The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has opened 150 golf-learning facilities and has introduced the game of golf to over 300,000 participants since 2000. The focus is to give young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.
