“THE FIRST TEE:

BUILDING CHARACTER EDUCATION”

HEARING

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND 

THE WORKFORCE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, JUNE 25, 2002 

Serial No. 107-68 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Education 

and the Workforce

82-138 pdf 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800 

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ii

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE 

JOHN A. BOEHNER, Ohio, Chairman 

THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin GEORGE MILLER, California 

MARGE ROUKEMA, New Jersey DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan 

CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina MAJOR R. OWENS, New York 

PETER HOEKSTRA, Michigan DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey 

HOWARD P. “BUCK” McKEON, California PATSY MINK, Hawaii 

MICHAEL N. CASTLE, Delaware ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey 

SAM JOHNSON, Texas TIM ROEMER, Indiana 

JAMES C. GREENWOOD, Pennsylvania ROBERT C. “BOBBY” SCOTT, Virginia 

LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California 

MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana LYNN N. RIVERS, Michigan 

CHARLIE W. NORWOOD, JR., Georgia RUBEN HINOJOSA, Texas 

BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York 

FRED UPTON, Michigan JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts 

VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee RON KIND, Wisconsin 

VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan LORETTA SANCHEZ, California 

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado HAROLD E. FORD, JR., Tennessee 

JIM DeMINT, South Carolina DENNIS KUCINICH, Ohio 

JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia DAVID WU, Oregon 

BOB GOODLATTE, Virginia RUSH D. HOLT, New Jersey 

JUDY BIGGERT, Illinois HILDA L. SOLIS, California 

TODD RUSSELL PLATTS, Pennsylvania SUSAN DAVIS, California 

PATRICK J. TIBERI, Ohio BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota 

RIC KELLER, Florida 

TOM OSBORNE, Nebraska 

JOHN ABNEY CULBERSON, Texas 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

 Paula Nowakowski, Chief of Staff 

 John Lawrence, Minority Staff Director 
iii

Table of Contents 

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, D.C..................................................................................................................... 2

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE RON KIND, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, D.C..................................................................................................................... 4

STATEMENT OF JACK NICKLAUS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER, NORTH PALM BEACH, 

FLORIDA ....................................................................................................................................... 6

STATEMENT OF AMBER DAVIS, FIRST TEE PARTICIPANT, EAST POINT, GEORGIA . 9

STATEMENT OF JOE LOUIS BARROW, JR., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE FIRST TEE, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA .......................... 11

STATEMENT OF DUANE W. DEDELOW, JR., MAYOR, HAMMOND, INDIANA ............ 13

STATEMENT OF KAREN W. SCHOENFELD, LACROSSROADS HIGH SCHOOL, LA 

CROSSE, WISCONSIN ............................................................................................................... 15

STATEMENT OF ANNE FLANNERY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, P.E.4LIFE, 

WASHINGTON, D.C................................................................................................................... 17

STATEMENT OF ROBERT S. KRAUSE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL 

ADVANCEMENT, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTEN, KANSAS.................. 19

APPENDIX A -- WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER, 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C. ........................................................................... 27

APPENDIX B – WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE RON KIND, 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C. ........................................................................... 31

APPENDIX C -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF JACK NICKLAUS, PROFESSIONAL 

GOLFER, NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA ......................................................................... 37
iv

APPENDIX D -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF AMBER DAVIS, FIRST TEE PARTICIPANT, 

EAST POINT, GEORGIA............................................................................................................ 41

APPENDIX E -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF JOE LOUIS BARROW, JR., SENIOR VICE 

PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE FIRST TEE, ST. AUGUSTINE, 

FLORIDA ..................................................................................................................................... 51

APPENDIX F -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DUANE W. DEDELOW, JR., MAYOR, 

HAMMOND, INDIANA.............................................................................................................. 57

APPENDIX G -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF KAREN W. SCHOENFELD, 

LACROSSROADS HIGH SCHOOL, LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN ........................................... 61

APPENDIX H -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ANNE FLANNERY, EXECUTIVE 

DIRECTOR, P.E.4LIFE, WASHINGTON, D.C.......................................................................... 67

APPENDIX I -- WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ROBERT S. KRAUSE, VICE PRESIDENT OF 

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTEN, 

KANSAS ...................................................................................................................................... 75

APPENDIX J – WRITTEN STATEMENT OF TIMOTHY M. FINCHEM, CHAIRMAIN OF 

THE WORLD GOLF FOUNDATION AND COMMISSIONER OF THE PGA TOUR ........... 81

APPENDIX K – LETTER TO CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER FROM MICHAEL 

WALLACE, GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, 

SUBMITTED BY CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER, COMMITTEE ON THE EDUCATION 

AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C. . 87

Table of Indexes............................................................................................................................ 90 
1

HEARING ON THE FIRST TEE: 

BUILDING CHARACTER EDUCATION 

___________________________________________________

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2002 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, 

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 4:00 p.m., in Room 2175, Rayburn House Office 

Building, Hon. John A. Boehner [chairman of the committee] presiding. 

 Present: Representatives Boehner, Ballenger, Hoekstra, McKeon, Castle, Johnson, Ehlers, 

Isakson, Goodlatte, Platts, Tiberi, Osborne, Wilson, Kildee, Roemer, Woolsey, McCarthy, Tierney, 

Kind, Wu, Solis, and Davis. 

 Staff present: Blake Hegeman, Legislative Assistant; Sally Lovejoy, Director of Education 

and Human Resources Policy; Patrick Lyden, Professional Staff Member; Paula Nowakowski, 

Staff Director; Deborah L. Samantar, Committee Clerk/Intern Coordinator; Dave Schnittger, 

Communications Director; Kevin Smith, Senior Communications Counselor; Jo-Marie St. Martin, 

General Counsel; Heather Valentine, Press Secretary; Liz Wheel, Legislative Assistant; Alexa 

Callin, Communications Staff Assistant; Mark Zuckerman, Minority General Counsel; Denise 

Forte, Minority Legislative Associate/Education; Maggie McDow, Minority Legislative 

Associate/Education; Alex Nock, Minority Legislative Associate/Education; Joe Novotny, 

Minority Staff Assistant/Education; and Dan Rawlins, Minority Staff Assistant/Labor. 
2

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER, 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Chairman Boehner. The Committee on Education and the Workforce will come to order. We are 

meeting today to hear testimony on building character education through the First Tee program. 

Under Committee Rule 12(b), opening statements are limited to the Chairman and the Ranking 

Member. If other members have written statements, they may be included in the record. With that, 

I would ask unanimous consent for the hearing record to remain open for 14 days to allow member 

statements and other extraneous material referenced during the hearing today to be submitted for 

the official record. Without objection, so ordered. 

 Good morning, or good afternoon. Let me welcome all of you, especially my colleague, 

Mr. Kind, my colleagues on the committee, and especially all of our guests today. Thank you very 

much for being here. 

 We are here today to recognize the efforts of The First Tee, a youth character-building 

organization with programs located throughout the country. This organization provides young 

people of all backgrounds with an opportunity to develop values and character traits that will 

positively impact their lives and their experiences in school through both the game of golf and 

character education. 

 The First Tee programs are community-based and are implemented through a partnership of 

parents, civic and corporate leaders, state and local governments, youth-serving agencies, schools, 

and, certainly, the golf community. 

 Last week, President and Mrs. Bush hosted a conference at the White House on the 

importance of character education to our nation's youth. President Bush cited the importance of 

character education in instilling common values in our young people. He said, ``Teaching 

character and citizenship to all of our children is a high calling.'' He went on to say Americans 

believed in character education because ``we want more for our children than apathy or cynicism.'' 

The President continued by saying, ``We've got higher aspirations for every child in America. We 

want them to understand the difference between right and wrong.'' 

 No activity better parallels life, and teaches you the character you need to be successful in 

life, than the game of golf. On the golf course, you learn responsibility, honesty, patience, selfcontrol, integrity, respect, confidence, and sportsmanship. And, as in life, to be successful at golf, 

you have to realize that you're always going to make mistakes. Overcoming both your own errors 

and the bad bounces are just as much a part of the game's challenge as trying to hit perfect shots. 

 You learn that a three-foot putt is just as important as a 300-yard drive, and that you must 

put the last shot behind you in order to execute the next. You also learn about yourself, and where 
3

your shortcomings lie, the things you need to work on at life's practice range. 

 First Tee is working to make the game of golf more affordable and accessible to young 

people throughout the nation by opening up golf courses and providing instruction for free and 

reduced rates to children of all socioeconomic backgrounds. By the year 2005, The First Tee will 

serve more than 500,000 children in 250 programs throughout the United States. In my own state 

of Ohio, there are currently four First Tee facilities that serve more than 1,500 children. I am 

pleased to bring attention to The First Tee today, and I am grateful for the work that it is doing in 

our nation's communities. 

 I especially want to thank the witnesses for being here. Jack Nicklaus, from my own state 

of Ohio, has devoted much of his life to promoting golf and the values that we can learn from the 

game. He, of course, also played the game pretty well, having won more majors than anyone in 

history. Mr. Nicklaus, it is an honor to have you with us today. 

 I would also like to highlight the student who is here today, Amber Davis. She has been 

involved with The First Tee of Atlanta since April of 2000, and credits the First Tee program with 

helping her develop strong leadership skills. We look forward to hearing from you, Amber. 

Welcome. 

 I would also like to thank Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., the Executive Director of First Tee; Duane 

Dedelow, the Mayor of Hammond, Indiana, which has a First Tee program; Robert Krause, the 

Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Kansas State University, who helped to build and 

develop The First Tee program. And I would like to thank all of our other witnesses for their 

willingness to be here. 

 Let me also recognize PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who is here with us and 

worked closely with us to put this hearing together; and Steve Outlaw, a First Tee participant from 

Hammond, Indiana, for their contributions to the program. Thank you, once again, for being here. 

 I would now like to yield to my colleague and friend from Wisconsin, Ron Kind. 

WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JOHN A. BOEHNER, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEE APPENDIX A 

Mr. Kind. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just ask unanimous consent to have my full 

statement in the record. 

Chairman Boehner. Without objection. 
4

OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE RON KIND, COMMITTEE 

ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF 

REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Mr. Kind. I want to thank the Chairman for holding this very special hearing on an important 

aspect of education policy, and that is character education. You know, we worked hard on 

reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and under Title V we were able to 

come up with a nice program with, hopefully, a decent funding stream for character education. 

And today we are going to hear from witnesses about The First Tee program specifically. 

 I want to thank all the witnesses for your attendance today, your testimony. I want to 

especially thank a teacher who I have known for some time in my home of La Crosse, Wisconsin, 

Karen Schoenfeld, and the wonderful work that she has been doing there in implementing a 

character education policy in the La Crosse School District. 

 I would also like to especially thank Ms. Anne Flannery, too, for your availability for 

today's testimony, as well as the world's greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus. Present company excluded, 

of course, Mr. Chairman. 

 [Laughter.] 

Mr. Kind. I have to be careful what I say. 

 We are here today to discuss the significant benefits fo character education and the role it 

plays in many adolescents' lives. Specifically, we are here today to hear about the tremendous 

success of The First Tee program, a program that helps keep our children out of the rough and on 

the fairway towards a successful future. 

 I like to play a little bit of golf during my spare time, and I am just now introducing my two 

little boys, who are just four and six, to the game of golf. Not only is it a lot of fun to do, but it 

enables me to be able to spend some quality time with my two boys in sharing a passion for a sport 

that is a lot of fun and teaches, I think, a lot of character in a lot of ways. 

 And I am pleased that through The First Tee program, many children will have the same 

opportunity to participate in golf and reap the benefits that few children are fortunate to receive.

The National Golf Foundation revealed that only 2 percent of children aged 12 to 17 ever try the 

game of golf, and that only 5 percent of this nation's golfers are minorities. Studies show that the 

major barrier to attracting more children, and especially economically disadvantaged children, to 

the game was the lack of places that welcome them - places they could physically get to, and places 

that they could afford. The First Tee was created to address these access and affordability issues. 
5

 Strong character development is essential to our children's growth, and I strongly support 

programs that work towards this goal. Beyond the game of golf, however, incorporating character 

education into the school day is important for many children who may not learn basic life skill 

elsewhere. The school district in my hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin, exemplifies a model that 

could be replicated throughout the nation. It is unique in that the school board and community 

members developed core values of character education, and included them as part of the school 

district's vision statement. 

 Now, these values of character education are worked through an entire school system of 

three high schools, three middle schools, 11 elementary schools, and four charter schools, at one of 

which Karen Schoenfeld teaches. One exceptional school is La Crossroads High School, a charter 

school for at-risk adolescents where Karen is at. She teaches character education at this high 

school, and has been working with at-risk adolescents since 1989 as a school counselor, and now as 

a charter school teacher. 

 I commend the work that she has done in the field of education and the important emphasis 

she has placed on including character education in the schools' curriculum. She truly has made a 

difference in her students' lives, and I thank her for being here today to tell her personal story. In 

fact, part of the teaching program she is involved with has a service-learning project component to 

it, and we have actually teamed up with Ms. Schoenfeld and her students in regards to a veterans' 

history project, where these high school students are going out and videotaping the oral histories of 

our veterans, which are then included in a national archive at the Library of Congress for future 

generations' historical use. 

 As you will hear, Karen has a real passion for teaching and is certainly an incredible 

individual. All of our nation's youth need teachers like Ms. Schoenfeld in their lives to help guide 

them down the road to success and opportunity. And although she probably won't admit it - but I 

will today - having a good character curriculum is important to these kids, but also having a quality 

teacher in their lives, that cares and loves them desperately as she does, is probably even more 

important. 

 Again, I want to thank the Chairman for holding this important hearing. I thank the 

witnesses, and look forward to today's testimony. Thank you. 

WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE RON KIND, COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEE APPENDIX B 

Chairman Boehner. As you may have heard, we expect that we will have three votes, beginning at 

approximately 4:30 p.m. So we are going to try to move this along. I am going to do a quick 

introduction of our witnesses. 
6

 We have already talked a little bit about Mr. Nicklaus, he is but clearly the golfer of the 

century, as noted by every golf publication there is. He is someone who we all know and respect. 

 We have already talked about Ms. Davis. She is from Atlanta and a First Tee participant.

She has won several junior golf championships, including the Gabrielsen Cup, the Intermediate 

Nine-Hole Classic, and the Atlanta Junior Golf Association's 12-and-under championship. We 

want to welcome you. 

 Joe Louis Barrow is the Executive Director of First Tee, a division of the World Golf 

Foundation. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as President and Chief Operating 

Officer of IZZO Systems. He currently serves as a board member of the National Golf Foundation 

and the American Junior Golf Association. 

 The Honorable Duane - and I think I botched your name. Listen, when your name looks 

like Boner, I can appreciate the problem - Dedelow is the Mayor of Hammond, Indiana, a site of a 

First Tee program, and has been involved in programs that benefit the youth in his city. 

 Karen has been introduced by Mr. Kind. Ms. Anne Flannery is the Executive Director of 

P.E.4LIFE, an organization that promotes quality daily physical education programs to develop 

active, healthy lifestyles for America's youth. Previously, she served as Vice President for a 

women's sports Internet start-up that focused on serving the needs of female athletes and women's 

sports enthusiasts. 

 We have Mr. Robert Krause, who has served as the Vice President for Institutional 

Advancement at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, since 1986. Prior to assuming his 

current position, he was Director of Student Affairs at Minnesota University. And he has played a 

key role in the planning and the development of First Tee. 

 We will have lights in front of you. If it is green, you have got four minutes of green and 

one minute of amber. Red means you should begin to wrap it up. We are not going to cut your 

head off; we want to hear from you. 

 With that, Mr. Nicklaus, you can begin. And you can push the little button on the bottom of 

your microphone. 

STATEMENT OF JACK NICKLAUS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER, NORTH 

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

Mr. Nicklaus. How about that? Okay, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I would first 

like to thank you for allowing me to be here today to speak on behalf of First Tee. 
7

 I started playing the game of golf when I was ten years old. My father introduced me to all 

sports, and I played them all. But I ended up with the game of golf because it gave me an 

opportunity to do something by myself and be as good as I wanted to be. I could invest the time 

and the effort I wanted to spend. Nobody put a restriction on me. That was important to me. 

 I also learned at an early age about the discipline the game requires, the sportsmanship 

expected of players, and the manner you should conduct yourself on and off the golf course. I 

learned those and other important values, because I was fortunate enough to have strong role 

models. I was fortunate enough to have a great father and fortunate enough also to have a longtime teacher who cared about me, a fellow named Jack Grout. 

 I also had role models to look to as I grew up, with the Byron Nelsons, the Sam Sneads, and 

the Ben Hogans. And of course, Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open at my course, Scioto, where I 

grew up. So obviously, I always knew where Jones hit every shot. 

 Both my father and Mr. Grout taught me that what I actually accomplished with my golf 

game was not nearly as important as the respect that I showed others, and how I conducted myself 

and my life. That is something I have always tried to do. 

 I remember when I was eleven, I was out playing with my dad and we were on the 15th 

hole at Scioto in Columbus. I had an eight-iron to the green, and I hit the eight-iron and hit it in the 

bunker. My club followed that a hundred yards, almost to the bunker. And my father walked over 

to me and grabbed me on the shoulder and said, ``Let's go get the golf club. We're heading in.'' 

 ``What do you mean, Dad?'' I said. And he said, ``Son, if you're going to act and play that 

way, we're not going to play this game. I don't ever want to see you throw a club again.'' I don't 

think I ever have. It was a pretty good lesson for me. But I had somebody who cared enough 

about me to do that. 

 Golf is not a game that you win a great deal of the time. You have to learn to win 

gracefully and lose graciously. And you make sure as my father taught me, he said, “Always shake 

your opponent's hand and have a smile on your face. You can go and kick the locker later, but you 

better have a smile when you are doing it.” 

I think that is important, because it tells you that you have to be out there and do it the right 

way. I wasn't perfect; I was like any other kid. You know, I drank an occasional beer and I 

smoked when I was a kid, like a lot of kids growing up in those days. But I remember, I won the 

U.S. Open in 1962, and I smoked on the golf course during my first year as a professional. 

I remember, December 8, 1962, I got the film of the U.S. Open. In that film on the 12th 

hole, playing Arnold Palmer in a playoff, I had this putt. I hit the putt, reached down, picked up a 

cigarette, had the cigarette hanging out of my mouth, walked up and tapped the putt in. I looked at 

that, and I thought that was the worst example for a role model that I could ever imagine. And I 

have never, ever had another cigarette on the golf course, to this day. 
8

 Obviously, not too many kids get the opportunity to see that. They will see that film and 

they will see that, and I didn't like it. So I just don't think it is a good thing. 

 But, you know, in golf, we didn't have the many negative influences that I think children 

encounter every day today in their lives. Most kids didn't have a dad who cared, or a Jack Grout 

who cared to spend time with you. I think that is one of the things that First Tee can bring into this. 

Today, as I turn on television and watch other sports, many of the role models or so-called role 

models, I see are not individuals I want my children or your children to emulate as they grow up.

And I don't think that is good. 

 In the game of golf, we don't really have that. You look on television, you see the kids on 

the golf course today. I don't care what background they have been from, they have been brought 

up to be able to respect the others. That is the way the game of golf is played. 

 While we are doing this, we have the opportunity to introduce them to what I call the 

greatest game of all. My wife Barbara and I try to instill the same positive values in our children 

and our grandchildren. I have always believed that if you can find a way to share these values with 

more children, we would be better off in society. 

 About 30 years ago, I was asked to be honorary chairman of the PGA Junior Golf 

Foundation. There are many ways that the PGA of America has influenced the lives of kids. I 

have been very proud of that position, because I have been there to be able to help where I could. 

 But most of that happened at existing facilities where existing pros work. And Barb and I 

started an endowment fund called the Jack and Barbara Nicklaus Junior Golf endowmend fund. 

We have been putting money into that, and that has been going to different small grants to different 

places. We were talking earlier to some of the members here about having used the Police Athletic 

League and other things. 

 When First Tee came along, all of a sudden we found a real meaningful place that we felt 

like our dollars could go to help a lot of kids. That is what we thought was important. The 

involvement will impact thousands of kids in a positive way in our society. 

 You look at television and you see the role models we have of Tiger and Mickelson, Singh, 

or even my son Gary, who has not had a great deal of success on the tour. I have so many people 

come up to me and say, hey, your son is my favorite player. I love going out and watching him. 

Sure, they watched me, and they want to watch my son. And that is important, that that kid really 

becomes that role model. 

 Through the game of golf and First Tee, we can influence these children in the right 

direction. I don't really care whether they play golf or not. Golf is a game for a lifetime. But 

ultimately, I think they will come back to it. But what we can do for them is work with them and 

try to help them be better citizens. That is what the whole thing is all about. 

 First Tee is not only teaching a game that can last a lifetime, it is teaching lessons of life. 

You know, through the private sector, we have raised money. But ladies and gentlemen, we need 
9

your help. Obviously, we can't do it alone. So I am here today to say thank you for the opportunity 

to be with you and talk about First Tee. I hope you can help us provide an impact on many more 

children, through golf and First Tee. 

 Thank you very much. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF JACK NICKLAUS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER, NORTH PALM 

BEACH, FLORIDA – SEE APPENDIX C 

Chairman Boehner. Thank you, Mr. Nicklaus, for your testimony. 

Ms. Davis, you may begin. Relax, we are pretty easy to get along with here. 

STATEMENT OF AMBER DAVIS, FIRST TEE PARTICIPANT, EAST 

POINT, GEORGIA 

Ms. Davis. All right. My name is Amber Davis. I am a 15-year-old junior golfer, and I attend 

Woodward Academy, where I am an upcoming sophomore. 

 I began playing golf in 1997 through Hook-A-Kid on Golf, an after-school program at my 

elementary school. Just two years after taking up the game, I won the A.J.G.A. 12-and-under NineHole Intermediate Classic, became a member of the A.J.G.A. ``All Team,'' and received the Larry 

Nelson Sportsmanship Award. 

 The next year, I became a charter member of The First Tee Atlanta Chapter. When I first 

started attending the classes at The First Tee in Atlanta, I had no idea of the opportunities that 

would come to me just from participating in the program. Three months after joining the program, 

I was able, and honored, to attend The First Tee National Academy. Attending the Academy was a 

special event for me. While I was there, I had the opportunity to work on different parts of my 

game, but most importantly I was introduced to The First Tee Life Skills program. 

 I have always known that golf is different from other sports, mainly because it emphasizes 

certain values that just aren't too easy to see in other sports. For example, I believe that in golf and 

in life, understanding respect is crucial to success. First and foremost, I feel that you must respect 

yourself and your abilities. When you are comfortable with who you are and have confidence in 

your capabilities, it is easy to respect others. If you respect others, and treat people the way you 

want to be treated, you will more than likely earn their respect. 
10

 I think golf is a game that demands and commands respect: respect for the game itself, 

respect for those you play the game with, and respect for your abilities to play the game. 

 Golf has been called a gentleman's sport, a sport that I am proud to say females have 

mastered quite successfully. I think it is called a gentleman's sport because when you play the 

game, you should display qualities such as honesty and integrity. 

 If you want to be good at golf, you must be dedicated and disciplined. Participating in The 

First Tee program has definitely helped me to appreciate the value of respect. But most 

importantly, it has taught me how to be a great leader. I have seen different people who are called 

leaders, but I never knew what that meant until I went through the Life Skills program at The First 

Tee.

 I learned that being a leader means setting a good example for others, making decisions 

using honesty and integrity, and most of all respecting others. I have learned that good leaders are 

dedicated and disciplined. These are especially good values for students like me to learn to use in 

school. You must be dedicated to doing a good job, disciplined enough to balance extracurricular 

activities, not give in to peer pressure, balance your social life, and to respect teachers and fellow 

classmates. 

 One of the highlights of my trip to the inaugural Life Skills Academy at Kansas State was 

when I received the Renee Powell award for leadership. Out of all the girls there, all of them who 

were good at golf, all of them who pretty much knew life skills, they chose me. I was so happy to 

know that the instructors thought I was a good leader. 

 When I won this award, I promised myself I would do everything possible to be a good 

leader in the future. This summer, I started mentoring 13 young girls at our First Tee program. 

Being a mentor gave me a great chance to practice the leadership skills I learned at the Academy 

and through the Life Skills program in Atlanta. The chance to be a leader to young children has 

been rewarding to me. I think that leading other children is something that they definitely need. 

 Since I have been a member of The First Tee, my game has most definitely improved. I 

have passed the highest level of certification in the program, and through my PGA teacher, Mr. 

William Lewis. I have won other awards, including the Gabrielsen Cup at The First Tee of Atlanta 

Chapter. This award was named after the Gabrielsens, who are responsible for creating The First 

Tee of Atlanta chapter at home. 

 I have helped lead my school to a regional championship and also a fourth-place finish in 

the state. But I am even more pleased when people tell my grandmother what a great person I am. 

 I am grateful for The First Tee. They have most definitely helped me create and develop all 

of these qualities. 

 Thank you. 
11

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF AMBER DAVIS, FIRST TEE PARTICIPANT, EAST POINT, 

GEORGIA – SEE APPENDIX D 

Chairman Boehner. Thank you, Miss Davis. We appreciate your willingness to come. I know it 

wasn't easy for you. 

Mr. Barrow, you may begin. 

STATEMENT OF JOE LOUIS BARROW, JR., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 

AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE FIRST TEE, ST. AUGUSTINE, 

FLORIDA

Mr. Barrow. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Kind, and committee members. We are 

very delighted to be here to talk about The First Tee. 

 I guess I could say a lot about The First Tee, but I would simply say that individuals like 

Amber Davis demonstrate what we are really trying to do all across this country. We are excited to 

have her here, as well as her colleague, Steven Outlaw, from Hammond, Indiana. 

 The First Tee started, as you know, in 1997 as an idea to expand the game of golf and the 

values of the game of golf to kids throughout this entire country. It was an idea, a concept, and a 

dream; today, it is really a reality. We have some 87 facilities around the country offering The 

First Tee life experience, and last year we reached some 60,000 kids. 

 It is here because of the partnerships that we have created with the United States Golf 

Association, the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, the Ladies' Professional Golf Association, and 

Augusta National. Those organizations came together to provide us with the resources and the 

leadership to start down this road, this road to really change the opportunities that golf has to 

impact the lives of young people. 

 If you think about the mission of The First Tee, it quite simply is to impact the lives of 

young people by introducing them to the game of golf and its values. Impacting the lives of young 

people is something that we say each and every day, because that is what we live for. That is what 

we strive to do. 

 The public-private partnerships are ones that are particularly unique. In most of our cities, 

98 percent of the ground that is used for The First Tee learning facilities - three-hole, six-hole, 

nine-hole shorter course learning facilities - are donated on a long-term use or lease agreement by 

cities, counties, and states. 
12

 Now, why would these cities, counties, and states be interested in providing ground for 

golf? Because I think they recognize, as has been said by Mr. Nicklaus and others, that the values 

of the game of golf are something very important to the youth of this country. The honesty, the 

integrity, and the respect all make a difference in their lives. 

 But at the end of the day, we think life skills are going to be the defining factor about The 

First Tee. It is not just about, as I affectionately say, grip, stance and posture. It is really about 

setting goals. When we talk to kids about setting goals in golf, and they say, well, we want to 

decrease our scores on average from 90 to 85 to 80, we ask them, how are you going to do it? 

What kind of time frame is important to you? Will you do it in a month? Probably not. Will you 

do it in six months? Maybe. A year? Perhaps. Are you going to have to focus on your driving or 

your putting to accomplish that? 

 The next day, when we ask them, how are you going to do in school and what are your 

goals relating to school? And they say, we want to move from a C to a B to an A average, all of a 

sudden they're saying, what time frame should I accomplish this objective? Do I have to focus on 

math, or social sciences, or English? It was readily apparent to us that life skills were going to be a 

defining factor of The First Tee, and allow us to make a difference in these lives, more than golf 

itself. 

 They learn how to trust their judgment and have confidence in themselves. They learn how 

to believe in what they think and not be challenged by others to go a different route than their 

conscience or their objectives say. When you think about The First Tee, those are the things that 

we would like you to think about; the impact that we are having on young people, how they think, 

how they view life, and how they approach life. At the end of the day, that is the experience that 

we are trying to create, and we have been very fortunate. 

 Our goals are to reach 500,000 young people by introducing them to The First Tee 

experience between now and the end of 2005. We can do so by continuing the public-private 

partnerships, and extending the Life Skills experience to many, many kids. We have actually had 

school systems come to us and say can we use your Life Skills curriculum, regardless of whether 

we get them on the golf course? 

 We are partnering with youth service agencies, Boys' Clubs, Girls' Clubs, and YMCAs. 

They have the kids and they know the challenges these kids face. But each and every one of these 

organizations want golf in the lives of these young people. We are able to partner with them in 

such a way that we can provide this opportunity for those agencies and Police Athletic Leagues as 

well.

 When you think about The First Tee, you can think about whether we are having an impact.

Of the 60,000 young people we talked to last year, we are pleased to say 22 percent of them were 

African American, versus all of golf that has four percent. Seventeen percent were Hispanic 

American, nine percent were Asian American, versus two percent in all of golf. And 36 percent of 

the young participants were women, versus 20 percent of all of golf. 
13

 We are very pleased with what we are doing, and I am going to leave you with three words 

when you think of The First Tee. One is we impact the lives of young people, and we are 

impacting the communities that have embraced The First Tee, because they believe in what we are 

doing. We are partnering the public-private partnerships, not only with individuals and 

organizations, but with many people who are embracing this concept because they believe so 

dearly as we develop, which is the third word in these golf learning facilities. 

 But we also think, Mr. Chairman, that we are participating in the full development of these 

young people. At the end of the day, the most important investment that we can make as a society 

is in the young people of our country, because the young people of our country represent 100 

percent of our future. To the extent The First Tee can impact these young people with the values 

associated with the game of golf, and provide them with a skill set that they otherwise would not 

have, we will have served them well, their communities well, and this country well. 

 Thank you very much for the opportunity to provide you with this testimony. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF JOE LOUIS BARROW, JR., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE FIRST TEE, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA -- SEE APPENDIX 

E

Chairman Boehner. Mr. Barrow, thank you for your testimony. 

 Before I introduce the Mayor, let me welcome our former colleague and friend, the 

gentlelady from the State of Florida, Tillie Fowler. Welcome, glad you are here with us, Tillie. 

Mayor Dedelow? 

STATEMENT OF DUANE W. DEDELOW, JR., MAYOR, HAMMOND, 

INDIANA

Mr. Dedelow. Thank you. Good afternoon, Chairman Boehner and distinguished ladies and 

gentlemen of the committee. It is with great enthusiasm that I sit here before you and tell you 

about the wonderful program that we have begun in Hammond, Indiana, that provides our youth 

with a unique and important character building opportunity. 

 With The First Tee program, we have taken more than 100 acres of what had been an 

environmental eyesore for decades and turned it into an environmentally friendly green space. But 

more than that, we have provided our 85,000 residents with a place its youth can come, an 

affordable year-round recreation, and more importantly, a place to learn essential social skills and 
14

to reinforce positive community values. 

 With me today is an exemplary young man, Steven Outlaw, who was introduced earlier.

Steven? He has excelled from that program, and is a testimony to the good that can come about 

when a community comes together to provide character building programs for its youth. When we 

invest in our youth, we are investing in our future of our community, and indeed, in our country. 

 The program we have established in Hammond has brought together all levels of 

government as well as the local school, businesses, public transit, and park programs in a 

consolidated effort to make a difference for the youth in our community. What brought about all 

these partners together was a concern for our kids. Hammond is nestled in the far northwest corner 

of Indiana, bordering Lake Michigan and next to the Illinois state line and Chicago. As with many 

urban areas, it has seen too many instances of wasted youth. 

 That is the importance of First Tee. We know that it is essential to provide kids with 

recreational opportunities. But The First Tee program goes beyond that to teach kids how to help 

themselves survive in the real, adult world they are soon to enter, if they haven't already. 

 In two years, more than 3,000 Hammond kids have benefited from the recreational program 

alone. Another 500 Hammond youth have learned communication skills, self-management tools, 

and goal-setting techniques built around the recreation program. They have also learned important 

lessons in interpersonal skills, anger management, and realizing self-worth skills that we cannot 

emphasize enough for today's youth. These character building skills can be applied in school today 

as well as on the job. They are important building blocks for any of their endeavors in the future. 

 I cannot emphasize the importance of providing these positive opportunities for our youth 

enough. I ask you, the distinguished representatives, to listen further to how we in Hammond, 

Indiana, and elsewhere in our country, are taking an innovative and positive approach toward 

investing in our youth. 

 As I am sure you will agree, after hearing as you did from Amber Davis from Atlanta, and 

what I have said about Steven Outlaw from Hammond, Indiana, the results are something to be 

proud of. And more than that, I hope you can agree with me that the stakes are too high for all of 

us not to continue to support these types of programs for our kids and for their future. 

 Thank you. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF DUANE W. DEDELOW, JR., MAYOR, HAMMOND, INDIANA 

– SEE APPENDIX F 

Chairman Boehner. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. 

Ms. Schoenfeld? 
15

STATEMENT OF KAREN W. SCHOENFELD, LACROSSROADS HIGH 

SCHOOL, LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN 

Ms. Schoenfeld. Thank you, good afternoon. As has been mentioned, my name is Karen 

Schoenfeld, and I am a coordinator of LaCrossroads High School, which is a charter school for atrisk adolescents of the school district of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Professionally, I am a school 

counselor and a charter school teacher. I have worked with at-risk adolescents since 1989. Do you 

notice the gray? I have a master's degree in school counseling and a master's degree in education. 

 Today, I will share with you how the school district of La Crosse has made character 

education a priority. I will highlight the inclusion of character education within one of the schools 

in our district. 

 The school district of La Crosse serves more than 7,500 youth. There are 21 schools within 

this district, and it is a composite of city and rural areas. 

 Several years ago, a committee made of diverse community and school members agreed 

upon a set of core values, which they believed vital to building character in young people. These 

values are honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, self-discipline, perseverance, and giving. 

Committee members proposed that the school board would adopt these values as a policy. The 

Board of Education concurred, and instituted a core value policy. It was the hope of the school 

board that, number one, staff would exemplify and thus role-model these values, while, number 

two, the schools would utilize these values to help our young people develop a keen sense of 

personal and civic responsibility. 

 Ongoing staff training helps us achieve the first goal of staff becoming role models of these 

core values. Staff have had numerous in-services relating to the values. Within recent years, our 

district has included training in Stephen Covey's ``Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.'' Our 

second goal, to reach students, is achieved by having each building develop policies and procedures 

aligned by these core values, while providing character education. 

 Let me now highlight the inclusion of character education within one of the schools in this 

district, LaCrossroads High School, which is where I work. As I've mentioned, LaCrossroads 

serves at-risk adolescents. Youth who come to us are at least one year behind in credits, and 

typically significantly behind in their academic skills. They are clearly at risk of failing to graduate 

from high school. 

 They present additional at-risk behaviors, which include one or more of the following: low 

self-esteem; poverty; family neglect or abuse; pregnancy; illegal chemical use; drugs and tobacco; 

truancy; delinquency; running away from home; disaffection with school and community; 

disengaged in the learning process; lack of extended family; lack of connection to their community; 

and lack of occupational skills and goals. 
16

 Is there a need here for character building? The answer is clearly yes. We face an 

extraordinary challenge with these at-risk youth. As much or more than any other student 

population, these young people have had little, if any, training or role modeling in character. In 

fact, they often display the very antithesis of the attributes promoted in character education. 

 So how do we do it? How do we take these diamonds in the extreme rough and turn out 

some good people, good parents, good workers, good neighbors, and people who give back instead 

of taking back? The key is character education. 

 LaCrossroads offer these elements, which teach youth character - one period per day 

devoted to character education: utilizing the teachable moments - teaching conflict resolution and 

problem solving right during a crisis; peer mediation - helping each other resolve conflict; student 

government; learning about democracy and how to lead; service learning projects; learning through 

volunteer work; mentor partnership with Rotary International; one-room schoolhouse environment; 

taking care of each other; bringing in community guests to make valuable linkages; and finally, 

holding youth accountable for their choices and rewarding behavior exemplifying good character 

while disciplining negative behavior. 

 And the result? Excellent. The majority of our youth not only leave with a high school 

diploma and academic skills, but they leave with much, much more. They leave knowing the need 

for, and the value of, honesty; that differences in others are good, and to be respected; the rewards 

attached to responsibility; a sense of compassion for others; the need for self-discipline; that 

perseverance is needed to reach your goals; and the beauty of giving to others. 

 One program at a time, one school at a time, the school district of La Crosse epitomizes 

how character education can be the underpinnings of an excellent educational system. We really 

are turning out young people who will not only be successful in their lives, but who will become 

welcome members of our community. 

 Thank you. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF KAREN W. SCHOENFELD, LACROSSROADS HIGH SCHOOL, 

LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN – SEE APPENDIX G 

Chairman Boehner. Thank you, Ms. Schoenfeld. 

 I now introduce Ms. Anne Flannery, Executive Director, P.E.4LIFE. Ms. Flannery. 
17

STATEMENT OF ANNE FLANNERY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, P.E.4LIFE, 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Ms. Flannery. Thank you, Chairman Boehner, Ranking Member Miller, and members of the 

committee. As was said earlier, my name is Anne Flannery. I am the Executive Director of 

P.E.4LIFE, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality daily physical education 

programs in our nation's schools. 

Chairman Boehner. Ms. Flannery, could you bring your microphone a little closer? 

Ms. Flannery. Or I could bring my gym voice. 

 [Laughter.] 

Ms. Flannery. I am honored to be here on this distinguished panel, and to be given the opportunity 

to speak about the importance of school-based P.E. programs as an essential component of youth 

development. I should say that I am probably the one basketball player on this panel, so I kind of 

like shooting at trees, because it is kind of like a bank shot when I play golf. So I will just get that 

out on the table right now. 

 First, I would like to thank the committee for your support in passing the Carol M. White 

Physical Education for Progress Program, a competitive grants program administered by the 

Department of Education that provides funds to local school districts to initiate, expand, and 

improve K-12 physical education programs. The grants, which can be used to purchase equipment, 

including golf equipment, and train teachers in what is being called now the New P.E. or 21st 

Century P.E., are a great way to reach our 52 million children in grades K through 12. 

I want to emphasize for everybody in the room here today, the New P.E. is very likely not 

to be the P.E. that you had when you were a child. We could probably go around this room and 

figure out that the athletes in this room. The 20 percent that are competitive athletes would raise 

their hand and say I loved P.E., and probably the 80 percent in the room would say I hated it. That 

was what we would call the Old P.E. 

 New P.E. is much more about an emphasis, just as Jack Nicklaus talked about, the things 

that he realized in his own life in training that were no longer suitable for him. The P.E. 

community has learned that as well. And putting kids where somebody gets picked first and 

somebody gets picked last, or standing around where there's one ball for 30 kids, are the types of 

methodologies that don't work today. 

 The New P.E. is much more about engaging all children. You are much more likely to see 

technology used with heart-rate monitors that identify a four-star athlete that may have a heart 

condition that was unknown to them, just as much as an overweight child who would have felt 

terrible about exercising and wouldn't have wanted to do it, because the old way would have said 

start here and let's do a mile, and you would see who finishes first and who finishes last. Then the 
18

kid feels poorly about themself. 

 Secondly, I would like to congratulate The First Tee program for their tremendous success. 

I am quite familiar with the program, having worked for six years at Spalding, and now, in working 

with the founder of P.E.4LIFE, Jim Baugh, who is the CEO of Wilson Sporting Goods. 

 P.E.4LIFE was formed just two short years ago by CEOs in the sports industry including 

Spalding, Wilson, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Sports Authority, Garts, and Modell's. They have 

recognized that our nation's most efficient delivery system for teaching children how to lead 

physically active lives are school-based P.E. programs, which have been largely under siege for the 

past 15 years. A comprehensive school-based physical education program is one that includes not 

only classroom instruction, but also intramurals. What has happened to those or after-school 

activity clubs, including golf, and athletics? 

 I will say that I learned how to play golf in P.E. class. I am somewhat biased, because my 

mother was my P.E. instructor. It was wonderful in many respects, but it also had its moments. 

Try being 5'11'' and trying to go on the uneven parallel bars right next to someone who is 4'10.'' 

 Physical education also enhances social development, improves self-esteem, and builds 

self-discipline. Yet, physical education has fallen to the bottom of the priority list, in part because 

of the failure of the public to understand the role and value P.E. plays in preserving physical and 

physiological health, and supporting academic progress. 

 We have seen a decline in the resources offered to P.E. programs over the years. However, 

at the same time, parents concur that the programs must be kept alive. Just last year, in a survey of 

the American Obesity Association regarding the problems that we are facing with our youth, 80 

percent of parents did not want P.E. classes reduced for academic reasons. 

 Physical education programs are just that, educational. They provide valuable lessons for 

practical situations - the skinny kid versus the heavy kid. They break down social barriers. They 

teach kids about teamwork. Not every child is going to be on a competitive athletic team, but we 

want every child to have that opportunity. The analogy is not every child is going to participate on 

the newspaper club, or be in the drama club, but you certainly want every child to have English.

The same is true for P.E. 

 The children in P.E. are going to learn about being on a team. They may not be the athletes, 

the competitive athletes, but they will be the referees, the parents in the stands, or the youth sports 

coaches. We need to keep that in mind. So, we need more P.E. First Tee; first, P.E. 

 Thank you for the opportunity, and my remarks I submit for your interest. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ANNE FLANNERY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, P.E.4LIFE, 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEE APPENDIX H 
19

Chairman Boehner. Ms. Flannery, thank you for your testimony. 

Mr. Krause? And we are lucky that the bells haven't gone off yet, so we may get this in. 

STATEMENT OF ROBERT S. KRAUSE, VICE PRESIDENT OF 

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, 

MANHATTEN, KANSAS 

Mr. Krause. Chairman Boehner and members of the committee, it is an honor to be here with you 

today. I thank you for an opportunity to share with you some thoughts about a program that is 

already having a positive impact on young people across our country. It is a program that I believe 

will continue to grow in its capacity to prepare youngsters to participate in our society, our 

colleges, our universities, our post-secondary education, and in our work force. 

 I would be remiss if I didn't thank you for all of your support and your congressional 

colleagues' support for building what I believe is one of the finest systems of higher education in 

the world. It serves our nation well, and it is a leader in the world. 

 As Joe just shared with you, in five short years - really a nanosecond in a period of history - 

a program emerged from scratch. That program is already changing the face of golf to look more 

like the face of America. This program already is having a positive impact on the lives of young 

people. Kids from every ethnic origin, urban/rural, north/south, coast to coast are learning skills to 

make decisions, a set of values by which to live, and access to a game they can play for life. Sixty 

thousand today, 500,000 tomorrow, millions in the future. 

 In 1994, our golf course foundation, along with our alum and PGA Senior Tour player Jim 

Colbert, got together with the PGA Tour and the Golf Course Superintendents of America to 

consider building a championship course at K-State that would have some integrated programs in 

education, research, and youth programs. I look back at that time in 1994 and The First Tee wasn't 

in existence at that point. I vividly remember our sitting around with the senior staff for the PGA 

Tour and Joe O'Brien at the GCSAA, who now is with The First Tee program and we all agreed on 

three things. 

 Number one, golf was a game that had an intrinsic set of values and skills in its play, in its 

rules, and in its history. Number two, both golf and higher education have great room for 

improvement in our attempts to include youngsters from lower economic backgrounds, and from 

ethnic and cultural backgrounds which differ from the Caucasian majority. And number three, oneshot programs that introduce youngsters who previously had not had the access to golf, or who 

previously had not dreamed about going on and attaining a higher education, simply do not work. 
20

The one-shot programs don't work. 

 As The First Tee program began to develop, it became evident that this systematic 

structuring of teaching athletic skills in a sport with great role models, around a set of nine core 

values, was a unique opportunity for higher education. Young people who have an opportunity to 

develop behaviors that are based on values such as honesty, trust, integrity, sportsmanship, 

courtesy, will be more successful in college and in the work force than those people who do not 

have those values. Young people who have the opportunity to learn life skills such as goal-setting, 

crafting strategies to achieve goals, conflict resolution, and management of the full array of 

emotions will also be more successful in college and the work place than those who do not have 

those skills. 

 Moreover, learning these skills outside of the formal classroom setting, in the peer groups, 

raises the probability that these lessons will be learned for life. Very similar, Jack, your sharing 

that story about your father and the club. That is a lesson for life. It didn't happen in the 

classroom. 

 Higher education has long recognized that the peer group is a tremendously potent learning 

influence. And a lot of times it goes on whether we want it to or not. It is there and it is part of 

life. I think we all step back and see how we have learned, we can remember groups that we 

belonged to and what we learned from them - some good things, some bad things. But that peer 

group is terribly important and influencing. 

 Simply put, in higher education, we can teach the structure and logic of ethical decision 

making in the class. But more often than not, learning to make ethical decisions takes place in that 

peer group, among youngsters, getting together, having to deal in life day to day. 

 The opportunity to make that connection between the First Tee and extending educational 

and career opportunities really presented itself in the National First Tee Academy at K-State, and 

Colbert Hills Golf Course was developed to make this connection. Each summer, two participants 

from each chapter are selected to attend a weeklong academy, based on the chapter 

recommendations and the individual students' commitment to go back and be mentors back at their 

local First Tee. The academy offers life skills, leadership development, and a chance to live on a 

college campus and interact with college students who are leaders in their group. They have golf 

clinics, career exploration seminars, and a chance to meet peers from around the country. 

 We begin our third Academy in about three weeks. I anticipate it will be as successful as 

our first two. You have heard the best evidence. I could share all sorts of evaluative material with 

you; it is in my testimony. The best evidence is Amber and Steven. 

 Making the connection between The First Tee and higher education by giving the academy, 

the youngsters an experience to come on a college campus, was an important beginning. This year, 

The First Tee will develop a second national academy at another college or university, and plans 

for 2005 and beyond are to add a third national academy and to expand the number of sessions 

offered each summer so we can accommodate larger numbers of students. 
21

 Equally important is the establishment of The First Tee Scholars program, which will 

provide full tuition and fee scholarships to students based on student achievement and successful 

completion of The First Tee experience. This program was initiated by Bill Crouch, President of 

Georgetown College in Kentucky, and will be implemented this year. Thus far, 13 institutions 

have committed to approximately $1.3 million of scholarships to be awarded to First Tee students 

graduating from high school. 

 Put simply, The First Tee focuses on 8 to 18. We can't drop youngsters at age 18. We have 

an obligation to take the introduction of dream and put them in a position where they can achieve 

it.

 During the past 35 years, I have had the pleasure of working with numerous programs 

including youth programs, leadership, and student government in a variety of settings in higher ed. 

I can honestly say that in 35 years, I have never worked with a program as good as this program. I 

think it is one of the best, if not the best. 

 It has a well-defined mission. It expects a long-term commitment from its local chapters. It 

has the necessary professional support staff for its members. It forms strategic alliances with 

existing youth and community organizations, and it has clear-cut strategies. Moreover, it is 

systematic and it brings youngsters along in a developmental program. 

 Most importantly, though, it allows you to work with a kid, one kid at a time. I think, 

Karen, you mentioned one school, one program. It comes down to simply one youth, one 

youngster at a time. 

 I began by thanking you for the great support you provided for higher education in 

America. I end my comments in recognition that The First Tee changes the face of golf and 

impacts the lives of youngsters by exposing them to the great game and its values. The First Tee 

will also be a major player in changing the face of higher education. It will do so by giving future 

students values and skills which give them a competitive edge in college and the work force. 

 Ramon Alexander was a student in our first Academy. If he were here today, I know he 

would tell you with great passion and conviction what he told us in an interview on tape for our 

first Academy: ``You can come from the inner city. You can come from the richest neighborhood.

It doesn't matter where you come from. If you are able to set goals, stay focused, and remain 

confident in yourself, you can achieve anything you want to achieve. This is what I take away 

from my experience in The First Tee.'' 

 This is what I believe America stands for, and this is what I believe the outcomes of 

education should be. We thank you for your support. 

WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ROBERT S. KRAUSE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL 

ADVANCEMENT, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTEN, KANSAS – SEE 

APPENDIX I 
22

Chairman Boehner. Mr. Krause, thank you for your testimony. We were going to vote at 4:30 

p.m. They still haven't called the votes. However, we do expect that they will be calling votes 

shortly, whatever that means. 

Typically, for a hearing such as this, after the witnesses testify, each of the members would 

have five minutes to ask questions. What I expect, for the benefit of the committee members, is 

that once the bells go off, we will in fact adjourn the hearing. So we will try to cover as many 

members as we can. 

 I would like to call one of our freshman members on our side for the first set of questions. 

This is a rather unusual occurrence, that we would recognize a freshman first. But Tom Osborne 

from Nebraska spent a lot of years in character education and believes very strongly in it. During 

last year's consideration of H.R. 1, he was a leader on character education issues. And with that, I 

would like to yield five minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska. 

Mr. Osborne. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for hitting the front row. This is the first 

time I can ever remember that happening. 

 [Laughter.] 

Mr. Osborne. As a freshman, I appreciate that. 

 What I would like to do is just ask you about the scope of the program. Are you involved in 

several states or all states? I know there is a plan to grow and expand, but where are you right now 

is my question? 

Mr. Barrow. Thank you very much, Mr. Osborne. Currently, we have some 87 facilities that are 

open and operating, learning facilities, and another 60 or so developed. That is in 38 states in the 

United States. The vast majority of our facilities right now are east of the Mississippi, and we have 

an aggressive effort to move west of the Mississippi. 

 Our Life Skills program actually has three components: Par, Birdie, and Eagle. In each 

level, they learn grip, stance, and posture. In addition, they learn the etiquette and rules of golf, life 

skills of setting goals, and trusting judgment. As they move from Par to Birdie, they learn more 

grip, stance, and posture, more life skills, and more etiquette and rules. And we move through the 

Birdie to the Eagle in the championship levels. 

 We do expect to have some 250 of these golf learning facilities open and operating, or well 

into development, by the end of 2005. As has been stated, we think through that, as well as our 

associations with established 18-hole golf courses, which we expect to have some 500 to 600 

relationships, we will be able to reach our target of 500,000 young people in this country. 

 I would also say that our efforts are not only urban, but we have First Tee facilities in urban, 

suburban, and rural areas of this country. So it is a broad reach throughout the country, and not just 

in the urban areas. We are very excited to have the diversity, not only geographically, but also in 
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ethnic backgrounds and in income levels as well. 

Mr. Osborne. Okay. Well, thank you, that sounds like you have got a very aggressive program. I 

am somewhat interested in how you select the young people to work with. Do you interface with 

the schools, and do you have some criteria? 

Mr. Barrow. Yes, we do, sir. We actually felt very early on that we would not cast a net in the 

neighborhoods, but that we would try and work with organizations that are already associated with 

youth. That is why all of our local chapters and facilities work with the Police Athletic Leagues, 

the YMCAs, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs, and local youth service agencies that are working with 

these kids on a daily basis. 

 Many of these agencies want golf into their equation, but have not previously had an 

opportunity because they didn't have the access to golf. By partnering with these youth service 

agencies, we are able to provide them with affordable opportunities for golf and consistent access. 

So, if you go to a First Tee location on Saturday morning, you won't see us adults. You will see 

kids playing. And we think it is very, very important that they can come, enjoy, understand, and 

experience the game of golf, and the values of the game of golf, on their timetable. 

 One of the challenges as I was growing up as a junior golfer was I couldn't play because the 

adults were always on the golf course. But to me, golf has a very special meaning, because not 

only are we seeing the kids, but we are also seeing their parents coming to The First Tees with 

them. 

 When I was in Hammond, Indiana, I looked out on the nine-hole golf course, and there 

were parents caddying for their kids. To be able to provide an opportunity for a parent to spend an 

hour and a half or so with their young kid on a golf course to talk about the values and what is 

important to them is pretty essential. 

 That was important to me, because, as a quick aside, my middle name is Louis. My father 

was Joe Louis, the former heavyweight champion. I didn't really know him, because my parents 

were divorced. But I spent the most quality time in my life with my father on the golf course. That 

is where he was particularly interested in me, and he told me the stories of his career, and we got to 

be very close. The opportunity to be able to share that with parents and kids, Mr. Osborne, is a 

tremendous opportunity that The First Tee is excited to be able to pursue. 

Mr. Osborne. Thank you. I think, Mr. Chairman, in the interest of time, I will yield back. 

Chairman Boehner. The chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Kind. 

Mr. Kind. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think in the interest of symmetry, I would like to yield 

whatever time she may consume to Ms. McCarthy from New York for any questions or comments 

that you may have at this time. 

Mrs. McCarthy. Actually, we were asked not to ask questions, so we can move this along. 
24

 I will go back to - I was lucky; I was a tomboy growing up. And I belonged to the old 

physical education department. But one of the things I know, sports - and certainly, I started taking 

up golf a few years ago - on how it does teach you character. But I think sports, and I think there is 

something that was left out with all of you saying this, kids with disabilities, learning disabilities, 

they reach out to sports, because usually they end up excelling, and that is because it gives them 

confidence that they can actually do something. 

 So to bring the two of them together, golf, certainly teaching them discipline is something 

that we should be doing. There are many of us here that have always believed that. There is a 

strong part of physical education with regular education. It is really, really important. 

 When you were describing those that were heavy or those that didn't fit in, they hated 

physical therapy - or physical - I am a nurse, so I keep saying ``physical therapy.'' They hated 

going down to gym, because everybody did make fun of them. And that is a shame, because it 

would have given them the opportunities to learn skills in many, many ways. 

 I know, being certainly involved in sports gave me what I had to get through life. And it 

really, really did, because you lose a lot of times - in golf, too, especially; holy crow - but you are 

there individually. And it is you and that little ball. And I think it is amazing; like I said, I took it 

up very, very late in life. But just try and hit it, when you hit it right, it is the sweetest thing in the 

world. But it is just you; it is not the same as - you are competing, but it is really you putting your 

skills out there. And I can see where it would work with young people and giving them what they 

need.

 And Ms. Davis, you did great. I saw you take a real deep breath right after you finished 

testimony. And if you think this is hard, you should see some of us play golf; that is really hard. 

 [Laughter.] 

Mrs. McCarthy. And obviously, you have taken that skill. So I applaud you. 

 We need more programs like this, we really do. There weren't too many years ago when we 

were cutting funds continuously on sports, after-school programs. And those are the things that 

every young person needs to make them a rounded person, to fit in to the adult world that they are 

going to come in, and to be our future leaders. And anyone that usually goes into sports, you see 

them later in life, they still continue, they are healthier, they have kept that up. Gosh knows, when 

I came down out here, with all the walking we do, I was physically fit, because it is a skill that is 

for a lifetime. 

 So I commend you all for your work, and look forward to working with you to make sure 

this program has a better opportunity to go throughout the whole country. 

 Thank you. 

Mr. Kind. Thank you, Ms. McCarthy. I think I have a little more time left, Mr. Chairman. Let me 

just quickly recognize Benjamin Kraft, who is here as well. He is at the Alcorn State University 
25

Foundation, and they are trying to remedy an access issue in southwestern Mississippi. During the 

pre-hearing conversation, he informed me that there were two counties in southwestern Mississippi 

that don't have any public golf courses at all, and so it is a huge access and affordability issue that 

they are trying to work on. 

 And I want to thank Steven Outlaw for coming, and for bringing your father along as well.

We were talking a little bit before the hearing, too, about how much time you have been able to 

spend with your father, and how much traveling you have been able to do with him, too. And that 

is a large part of what I think First Tee is about; the involvement of family members, but good role 

models to help kids along their way. 

 And in that spirit, Mr. Nicklaus, I want to especially thank you for the type of integrity and 

professionalism that you have always demonstrated in the game of golf, and the role model that 

you have provided all of us, and our youth today, even. Thank you. 

 And Ms. Davis, you did a terrific job. And I think it is very apparent that your involvement 

in First Tee has not only resulted in good performance on the golf course, but what you have been 

able to do off the golf course as well. And that is one of the overarching goals of the program. 

 Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman Boehner. Thank you, Mr. Kind. Let me just thank all of our witnesses. The bells have 

finally gone off; you are all saved from any further questions. 

Ms. Davis, you should probably be thankful, because I wanted to try to relate to what golf has done 

for your grades, but now you don't have to answer the question. 

 [Laughter.] 

Chairman Boehner. I am sure it has done wonders. 

 But really, I want to thank all the witnesses for your excellent testimony. Mr. Nicklaus, we 

really do appreciate your willingness to come and share your experiences. Mr. Barrow, I am sure 

we are going to continue to work with you. 

 As we adjourn the hearing, I would like to ask all the witnesses, as soon as I bang the gavel, 

if you would all just come right up here in front, they want to do a photo, and then we are going to 

go vote. 

 With that, thank you. The hearing is adjourned. 

 [Whereupon, at 5:05 p.m., the committee was adjourned.] 
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Table of Indexes 

Chairman Boehner, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25 

Mr. Barrow, 11, 22, 23 

Mr. Dedelow, 13 

Mr. Kind, 3, 4, 23, 24 

Mr. Krause, 19 

Mr. Nicklaus, 6 

Mr. Osborne, 22, 23 

Mrs. Mccarthy, 23, 24 

Ms. Davis, 9, 25 

Ms. Flannery, 17 

Ms. Schoenfeld, 14, 15