First Tee of South Puget Sound
First Tee of South Puget Sound empowered more than 62,000 youth in 2019 through three avenues of programming; Life Skills Experience, National School Program, and DRIVE. Roughly 2,700 youth were impacted through the Life Skills Experience program at 13 golf courses throughout the South Puget Sound, including 230 youth right here at Chambers Bay. First Tee of South Puget Sound is the only First Tee chapter in the world to have youth programming throughout the year on a U.S. Open Championship Site, and we are honored to partner with Chambers Bay for our youth. The second avenue for programing is our National School Program, in 81 schools throughout Kitsap, Pierce, Thurston, and Cowlitz Counties teaching First Tee curriculum in P.E. classes. The final avenue used to reach youth is DRIVE. This program encompasses our after-school programming and community partnerships, such as Boys & Girls Clubs, Kings in Training, JBLM Military Youth, Rescue Mission, and more.
Of all youth reached in 2019, more than 60% utilize the Youth Scholarship Fund to help offset registration fees. This fund is available to all youth and their families so that no child is turned away from our program due to an inability to pay because we believe all youth deserve access to the game of golf and its inherent life values. All proceeds from the 2020 Chambers Bay Solstice event will benefit the Youth Scholarship Fund and allow First Tee of South Puget Sound to continue impacting more youth throughout the four counties we serve.