path to college - The First Tee of Metropolitan New York

Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
Path to College Newsletter
PATH TO COLLEGE
Young Benefactors 19th Hole on the
Park Masters Event Scores Big
Inside this issue
Parents and Participants Celebrate
National Financial Literacy Month
at PwC
2
TFT Participants Recognized At
National College Decision Day
3
Mentoring Success Program
Attends NY College Fair at
Javits Center
4
Participants Nicole Eager, The First Tee of Plainfield and Cameron Dawkins,
The First Tee of Essex County, center, were honored with a $5,000
Scholarship on behalf of the Young Benefactors Executive Committee
Dress for Success: How to
dress for a Skype Interview
5
19th
The Young Benefactors sixth annual
Hole on the Park Masters Event
was quite the success. With over 200 people in attendance on Thursday,
April 9 at the New York Athletic Club, the event benefits The First Tee of
Metropolitan New York’s Path to College program, which provides
participants of The First Tee with the critical tools, skills, and workshops
they need to prepare for college. Grossing a little over $79,000 in ticket
sales, silent auction items and sponsors, contributions will be matched
dollar for dollar thanks to the generous support of The Hecksher
Foundation for Children. Highlights of the night included First Tee
participants, Cameren Dawkins, The First Tee of Essex County and
Nicole Eager, The First Tee of Plainfield, … Continued on page 2
ISSUE NO. 2 A Bi-Monthly Issue / EDITOR Joshua Sanchez / DESIGNER Joshua Sanchez / CONSULTING
EDITORS Barry McLaughlin, Karen Les Pierre CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Karen Les Pierre, Adam Zweig
CONTACTS: Email jsanchez@tftmny.org / PHONE 718-655-9164 / ADDRESS The First Tee of Metropolitan New
York, Mosholu Golf Course and Driving Range, 3545 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467
Path to College Newsletter
Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
who were honored with a $5,000 Scholarship from The Young Benefactors to
continue their educational endeavors.
Rachel Newman, The Young
Benefactors Executive Committee, was also honored as the first recipient of
The Kate Keller Young Benefactors Award.
Dedicated to the mission of The First Tee, The Young Benefactors is a network
of active young professionals whose efforts are highlighted through
fundraising, community and volunteer efforts. “I think what made this year
special was the number of new and young faces we saw at the event eager to
contribute to a great cause for our kids”, said Adam Zweig, Development and
Communications Fellow at The First Tee of Metropolitan New York.
Top: Guests enjoy a Putting Contest
Left: Members of The Young Benefactors
Executive Committee
Parents and Participants Celebrate
National Financial Literacy Month at PwC
The month of April celebrates National Financial Literacy
month. On Saturday, April 11, parents and participants of
The First Tee of Metropolitan New York gathered at the
PricewaterhouseCoppers office on Madison Avenue.
Guests were split into two groups and had the
opportunity to attend an adult or student Financial
Literacy Session hosted by employees at PwC.
PwC employee talk numbers with 7th Grade participants
2
Guest Speaker, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach
shared inside tips with parents about debt and managing
various financial responsibilities, while participants
enjoyed fun and interactive activities about savings and
paying for college. Special guests, Walter Thurmond III,
newly signed cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles and
John Wallace, retired NY Knicks Basketball player
concluded the event with a meet and greet with parents
and participants.
Path to College Newsletter
Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
From left to right, Nia Berrian, Ethan Penha, and Jessica Eng
TFT Participants Recognized At
National College Decision Day
Four First Tee participants were recognized on Friday, May 1 at the National College Decision Day Draft
Event at the world headquarters of Citigroup in Manhattan. Over 100 scholars from various college bound
organizations, including The First Tee of Metropolitan New York’s Path to College program, were honored
and acknowledged with heartening remarks celebrating their success as they embark on the beginning of a
new journey.
Ruth Rathblott, President and CEO of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund spoke about the growing
number of students who are challenging themselves each and everyday; pushing the limits of success. Ana
Durante McCarthy, Managing Director and Chief Diversity Officer, Citi, welcomed students and touched
on the benefits of employing a diverse work environment of committed individuals; like many of the
students who sat right before her. Tiki Barber, former NFL star and co-host of CBS Sport’s Radio, Tiki &
Tierney, motivated and encouraged students to “learn how to learn”, to find their passion; drawing on his
personal experiences as a professional athlete. Ron Claiborne, New Anchor, ABC News closed out the
event with the help from each scholar by announcing the college or university they’ll be attending in the
fall.
The National College Decision Day recognized Nia Berrian, Yale University (The First Tee of Essex
County); Jack Clough, Ripon College (The First of Mosholu); Jessica Eng, New York University (The First
Tee of Mosholu); and Ethan Penha, New York University (The First Tee of Mosholu).
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Path to College Newsletter
Mentoring Success Program Attends the
NY College Fair at the Javits Center
Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
SAVE THE DATE
Path to College Summer Golf School
Monday, June 29 through
Monday August 24, 2015
~
Meadow Brook Invitational
Supporting The First Tee in Suffolk and
Nassau County
Thursday, July 23, 2015
~
What’s
#trending
Participants gather for a group photo after attending the College Fair
On Sunday, April 19, 2015, the First Tee Mentoring Success Program
attended the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center NY College Fair. The
mentees, who were present, learned much about different colleges
and universities, especially relating to their own particular fields of
interest. Some mentees expressed an interest in medicine and
chemical engineering, while others expressed an interest in the arts,
fashion design, and the coast guard. There were more than 600
colleges and universities represented at the fair. Mentor, Devin
Taylor assisted his mentee, Adrian Djonbalaj with searching for
schools with medical programs, as Adrian would like to become a
cardiovascular surgeon.
The First Tee Mentoring Success Program pairs young adults with
professionals who can assist them in their personal lives, their
academics, and their careers. If you would like more information
about the program, please contact Karen Les Pierre, Program
Manager, at klespierre@tftmny.org.
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@YBFirstTeeMetNY:
Congrats to the TFT
Participants who were
honored at the College
Decision Day Ceremony at
the Citigroup headquarters
@KateKgolfgirl: THANK
YOU @AJVoelpelCG &
CallawayGolf for
supporting our silent
auction with an
AMAZING item. It raised
serious funds for
@YBFirstTeeMetNY
@TasteofTheTeeFC: Tickets
for Taste of The Tee, on sale
now. @FirstTeeMetNY
@TheFirstTeeCT
Partnership in support of
Fairfield County
Path to College Newsletter
Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
Dress for success
SKYPE interview
Q: How should I dress
for a Skype interview? Is
there anything different I
should know about?
A: I would treat a Skype
interview with the same
respect as in-person
interview. The
interviewer expects to
see a prepared and
polished individual;
even though you’re not
there physically, looking
the part is extremely
important.
Pick an outfit that is
similar to the culture or
industry to which you
are interviewing for, if
you’re unsure, go with
professional attire.
Select different
accessories to go with
your outfit: tie, cufflinks,
earrings, belt. Be sure to
comb and style your
hair. Men, make sure
you are clean-shaven or
have neatly trimmed
facial hair.
Test out the settings on
your computer’s
webcam. Be sure to set
up for your interview in
a quiet space, away from
any noise or distractions.
Devin Massena-Poole Makes Tutoring
Count!
Karen Les Pierre has been tutoring Devin Massena-Poole
in the Path to College program since the program began in January
2014. Since then, Devin has made tremendous strides in his academics.
Originally, Devin’s mother signed him up for tutoring with the First
Tee, because she wanted to improve Devin’s reading and writing skills.
He later gained skills in math, as well. He is also an excellent golfer.
Working at a pace that was comfortable for
Devin, Ms. Karen steadily taught Devin
different reading strategies and writing
skills. His mother read with him at home
each night, even though many times she
complained that he would refuse and cry
all night. Slowly but surely, Devin became
accustomed to reading on a regular basis.
Ms. Karen saw his writing skills improve,
as well as, she noticed that he enjoyed
writing down his words with different
colored markers on the whiteboard. Ms.
Karen realized that Devin is very much a
visual learner. His strengths lie in the fact
that he is respectful to adults and very
attentive and focused on his work.
Ms. Massena wrote to Ms. Karen on May
12th, stating, “I was informed Devin will be
Devin takes a practice
going to the 4th grade. I could not wait to
swing before heading to
Sunday to tell you. Thank you for all of
The Firt Tee at
your hard work and dedication. I would
Mosholu
have been lost without you and the First
Tee. Devin is still a work in progress and
we still have some work to do, but he’s getting there.” Never missing a
session, Devin has truly made the tutoring program at the First Tee
work for him. His progress is commendable! Congratulations on making it to the 4th grade!
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Summer 2015 / Issue No. 2
Path to College Newsletter
Tiffany Schapira is recognized as the Mayoral Award recipient
On Monday, June 8, Tiffany Schapira was acknowledged as the Mayoral Award
recipient in recognition of her high athletic achievement as well as her academics,
character, leadership and civic service. Tiffany was presented the award at the Valley
Stream High South School athletic awards ceremony; she was also presented with the
Varsity Tennis MVP Award. Schapira’s involvement in three varsity high school
teams and her stellar academic record made her the perfect candidate for this
outstanding award.
Tiffany’s success is credited to her involvement with The First Tee of Nassau County
with the support of Justin Koff and Mike Wade. Throughout her time with The First
Tee Tiffany has embraced the Nine Core Values and Life Skills she has learned. With
the support of The First Tee Tiffany was able to attend the Life Skill and Life
Leadership Academy and was also selected to represent The First Tee at the Nature
Valley First Tee Open in September 2014 along with 80 other participants from around
the country. Tiffany will graduate Valley Stream High South School in June and will
continue her academic journey this fall at the State University of New York at
Cortland. She will begin this new chapter of her life equipped with the values and
lessons learned from The First Tee and with the guidance and encouragement from
many mentors, including Justin Koff, Mike Wade, Kara Cook, and Sasha Jimenez.
For Tiffany, The First Tee will always be her second home and extended family.
Thank You!
Tiffany Schapira alongside with
Justin Koff, Program Director,
The First Tee of Nassau County