A rising sophomore golfer from St. Joseph High School is picking up a life-changing opportunity this summer after being selected for the First Tee Game Changers Academy being hosted next month in Philadelphia.
Morgan Guzzo from First Tee — Benton Harbor has been selected to attend the First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. in Philadelphia, from July 20th to the 24th. Guzzo is one of 48 teens from the First Tee network selected for the five-day learning and empowerment academy, and will participate in critical conversations around issues of identity, racism, equity and empathy.
Guzzo has been a participant at First Tee — Benton Harbor for 7 years.
Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO, says, “Diversity, equity and inclusion have been part of the fabric of First Tee since the beginning, and we are proud to provide an event that allows teens from across the country to go deeper on the subject,” while adding, “First Tee is about empowering these young people to be game changers in their community. Congratulations to Morgan Guzzo for being selected from a national pool of candidates to represent First Tee — Benton Harbor at this event.”
The event will feature engaging and interactive workshops facilitated by RISE, a national nonprofit and leader in the sports community championing social justice and working to improve race relations.
The workshops will explore a multitude of topics that encourage personal growth and understanding of diversity concepts that foster positive change in the community. The workshops will be paired with reflections led by nationally trained First Tee coaches, team building activities such as a scavenger hunt in the city of Philadelphia and a community outreach project, and keynote speakers from the sports industry including Vice-President, Community & Inclusion for the PGA TOUR Marsha Oliver.
First Tee – Greater Philadelphia will host the teens for golf outings at John F. Byrne Golf Course where they will continue to build upon their connections with other participants from around the country and hear different perspectives from their peers.
First Tee Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters designed to inspire and encourage high school students on a deeper level as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. The Academy honors First Tee’s former CEO, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., who led the organization from 2000 until his retirement in 2017.
First Tee — Benton Harbor is a youth development organization that enables kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee — Benton Harbor creates active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.
First Tee — Benton Harbor is one of 150 First Tee chapters across the U.S. and select international locations. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. You can learn more at http://www.firstteebentonharbor.org.
