We’re thrilled to share that Hailey Price—one of our own outstanding Junior Volunteer Coaches at First Tee – Sandhills—has been named a recipient of the 2025 Peg Kirkpatrick Girls Golf Scholarship, awarded by The Silver Foils, Inc., one of the nation’s pioneering women’s amateur golf associations!
A standout both on and off the course, Hailey is a Pinecrest High School senior with a 4.5 GPA, president of her school’s Key Club, National Honor Society member, varsity golf athlete, and a dedicated volunteer with our First Tee chapter. She also leads community programs like Tales and Treats at Given Memorial Library, blending storytelling and baking to inspire young minds.
Please join us in congratulating Hailey on this incredible and well-earned achievement. Her leadership on the course, commitment to community service, and drive to make a meaningful impact through education and mentorship are exactly the kind of qualities we strive to foster at First Tee – Sandhills. Hailey embodies everything this scholarship stands for and more…integrity, perseverance, and a deep love for the game. We are beyond proud to have her as part of our First Tee family and can’t wait to see the amazing things she’ll accomplish as she continues her journey at UNC-Chapel Hill and beyond. The future is bright with young leaders like Hailey carrying the torch forward.
Addison Bidoli, a rising 10th Grader at Jack Britt HS in Fayetteville and a First Tee – Sandhills participant, was selected as one of 72 teens nationwide to attend the Game Changers Academy in Minneapolis this past month. The seventy-two teens from across the country attended the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow Jr. where the teens participated in important conversations on topics like inclusivity and community building facilitated by RISE, a national leader championing social justice in sports.
Here is Addison’s Recap from the experience:
Day 1 Recap
I arrived Tuesday, July 9th. In the airport, I met an amazing group of people who I stayed close with the entire trip. We settled into the dorms, and started to get ready for the welcome reception. Before the reception, I met my roommate who was very sweet and we instantly got along! Between these events I began to meet the other participants and tried to get to know everyone I could.
At the reception after dinner, I sat with 3 other girls who I got to know, one of the coaches, and NFL hall of fame-r John Randle. We then had a few individuals go up and speak at a panel where we learned from people with different experiences and careers about inclusive leadership. We got to experience different perspectives and ultimately learned the importance of being an inclusive leader in the workplace.
Day 2 Recap
The next day we woke up and ate breakfast at the cafeteria on campus, and then left for Highland National Golf Course to play some icebreaker golf activities. My group started off at the chipping station. The intent of the game was to help build our confidence and I really enjoyed it! Our next station was full swing. We were asked to aim for a target out on the range and each target was paired with a unique question that I answered and discussed with my partner. It was exciting to learn more about the other participants and their past experiences. The last activity we attended was putting which was my favorite station of the day. We rotated around the green where we had to complete a different task at each hole.
We then ate a delicious pasta lunch and went back out to the course to play a few holes. I was partnered with three participants I had not had a chance to mingle with yet. I was able to make three new friends while growing my confidence!
After our morning golf activities, we went back to campus for our first lecture! It was with the RISE program. This had to be my favorite workshop of the whole trip! Our instructor was very engaging and easy to listen to. At the workshop, we were assigned to write 10 things that describe our identity. We rotated around the room and read our list to another participant, who then ripped off a word from the list that shouldn’t define us. We continued moving around the room and deleting words from our list until only one word was left.
I really enjoyed getting to listen and learn about the other participants and myself as well. The opportunity provided a fresh perspective to how you view yourself and what defines you.
After the workshop, we ate dinner at the cafeteria then started one of my favorite activities, the scavenger hunt. We had a list of items to find around campus, such as finding a building with a prime number or finding a map and taking a picture of our group in front of it looking lost. I loved getting to explore the campus like a student alongside an amazing group of people! Everyone was so kind and fun and we all got along so well. Our chaperone was awesome and added an exciting energy to the group.
Our day was coming to an end, and we made our way back to our sleeping arrangements. We stayed up for a while talking about everything we had done and learned throughout the day, and then said our goodnights to one another. After all the excitement, we were all tired and fell right asleep!
Day 3 Recap
After a good nights rest, we kicked off the morning at the golf course. We were split into groups of five and sent out on course to play a few holes. I was able to meet two new people and continue growing friendships with two other individuals I had already spent time with.
We then rotated around another set of golf activity stations focused on target awareness. I learned to block out the things I can’t control and put more effort into focusing on the end goal.
After an exciting morning of golf, we were surprised with an ice cream break! It was by the far the best ice cream I’ve ever had and one of the best parts of the day.
Later that day, we took a short bus ride over to TopGolf and met with one of the directors of the company. She spoke to us about being an inclusive leader and gave us advice and pointers. I walked away with a new found perspective on being an effective, inclusive leader and how to be open and responsive to others ideas and opinions and how to adapt to their needs in a leadership role.
Another guest speaker, Victoria Arlen, spoke to us about her life and corporate experiences. We were able to interact and ask questions about her experiences. She is an amazing women and a perfect example of what it means to persevere.
After listening to the guest speakers, we were split into groups again and played TopGolf games, in addition to eating some wonderful snacks. It was a fun, relaxing way to end the day!
Day 4 Recap
To round out our last day at Game Changers Academy, we participated in another RISE workshop. We used the SMART acronym to create a theoretical community service project. Each group shared their ideas and received feedback and suggestions on how to bring the service project to fruition. The objective of the workshop was to equip us with the tools to create achievable goals in our personal life.
We then went to a workshop hosted by AWS. Members of the company shared AWS mission statement and values and how they incorporate each one to create an inclusive work environment. We were split into groups and tasked with creating a theoretical leader based on one of AWS values and how that value could be presented by the leader in a workplace. This activity really tied in everything we had learned thus far at the academy and how we could apply it in our daily lives and as leaders in our community.
After a hearty lunch, we headed over to Theodore Wirth Golf Course to play an 18 hole scramble. I was paired with a positive, encouraging group that created a fun, competitive environment. This 18 hole scramble was the most fun I have ever had golfing competitively. The experience was really eye opening. I am usually stuck in a negative mindset and worry more about my performance than having fun. I was able to focus on my golf game with a positive attitude and actually have fun and enjoy my time on the course. This was my favorite part of the entire trip and the best way to round out our time in Minneapolis!
Overall, this trip allowed me the opportunity to meet so many kind, amazing people and see and try new things in a fun, supportive environment. Plus, I got to stay on a college campus and get a feel for what college will be like, as I will be attending soon. I definitely walked away with the skills and knowledge to becoming an inclusive leader. I sharpened my creative skills in finding solutions to create equality, as every person is so different. I look forward to taking everything I learned from my experience and incorporating it into my upcoming school year and daily life. Thank you First Tee for instilling confidence in myself and actions! I am beyond grateful for the experience Game Changers Academy offered me and I can’t wait to share a positive impact with my community.
It’s National Mentorship Month! And we truly believe that mentors can make all the difference for kids as they face new challenges – from navigating middle or high school to eventually embarking on a career. That’s why we’re proud to pair every First Tee Scholar with a mentor to help them along their journey.
First Tee – Indiana alumna Becky Jones is a sophomore at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology where she is studying civil engineering. Her professional goal is to address pollution in her home region. “Especially around our area, we have a lot of environmental hazards that I’d like to fix,” she said.
As she works toward her future, Jones said, she knows she has at least one person in her corner: her mentor Dr. Roger May. May is senior technical manager in the Great Lakes region for TruGreen, a First Tee Trustee. Not only has May helped Jones on her academic journey, but “he knows me as a person,” she said.
“Especially as I’m going to college and being in a new environment and working with a lot of different people, he’s given me fantastic advice about things like teamwork, what to do when group members aren’t holding up their weight,” she said.
His guidance was especially helpful during Jones’ internship at a 66-turbine wind farm in Iowa. “I was in a very different environment than I’m used to, and while it was a wonderful experience, it did challenge me in a lot of ways,” she said. “It’s been incredible. I’m lucky First Tee connected me with him.”
May said mentoring Jones has helped him understand the challenges a college student faces in 2023. The pair talk for about one hour each month, and while mentoring isn’t a huge time commitment, it’s a great way to give back, May said.
“I thought back to the time when I was a freshman in college. I could have really used a mentor! This was a golden opportunity to pay it forward with experience and help a young person navigate the ups and downs of the college experience and give them career advice,” he said.
For the relationship to work well, mentors need to be non-judgmental, and mentees must be open about the challenges they’re facing, May said. “When everything clicks you form a trust that helps to keep the relationship and communication progressing,” he said.
As a First Tee scholar, Jones not only receives support from her mentor, but also financial assistance and access to professional development opportunities, including a recent winter workshop that brought together 40 First Tee alumni from across the country. She said First Tee has helped her gain confidence and expand her horizons.
“When you start playing golf as a kid, you’re just out there hitting a ball. You don’t think about all the etiquette you learn,” Jones said. “You learn about systems, being outside, appreciating nature, respecting authority, honesty. There’s just so many values that go throughout your entire life. Now as a Scholar I get to hear from all these phenomenal speakers who are giving me advice on aspects of my career and personal life, and I feel like I’ve grown more as a person in so many ways I can’t even describe.”
