First Tee hosts First Champions Challenge

By News Staff / CBS 19

First Tee Hosts First Champions Challenge

The First Tee of the Virginia Blue Ridge is helping some area students practice life skills and the game of golf. Twenty Charlottesville and Albemarle County students competed in the Champions Challenge at the Birdwood Golf Course. The students, representing six schools, took part in nine challenges designed to test their gulf skills and life skills. The challenges included the Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin and the Core Value Challenge. This event is based on the National School Program, a partnership between First Tee and elementary schools across Central Virginia. It provides physical education teachers with training, support, curriculum and equipment, worth more than $3,000, at no cost to the schools. The teachers then introduce their students to golf while also teaching motor skills, healthy habits and First Tee’s Nine Core Values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. During the 2017-2018 academic year, all of the elementary schools in Charlottesville participated in the National School Program partnership, during which the PE teachers taught the First Tee curriculum for three to four weeks as a unit in their classes. The Champions Challenge then gave participating elementary school students the chance to apply all they learned to a competition on the golf course. Students from Walker Upper Elementary School won the title of champion, followed by Johnson in second, and Scottsville and Venable tied for third. First Tee plans to host this challenge event annually, and the organization aims to extend its reach to more schools in Albemarle County and in Greene County. For more information about the National School Program, contact Sarah Pitman at (434) 987-0772 or by email at [email protected]. Source: http://www.cbs19news.com/content/news/First-Tee-hosts-first-Champions-Challenge-481098511.html