February 23, 2011 – Bronx, N.Y., native Paul Spano, a participant in The First Tee of Metropolitan New York (TFTMNY), was named the first-ever recipient of The First Tee’s Outstanding Participant Award during The First Tee Biennial Network Meeting, held last week in San Antonio, Texas. The award was presented during a gala event in front of more than 600 chapter executive directors, program directors, coaches and volunteer board members from First Tee chapters around the country.

This unique national award recognizes outstanding achievement by a First Tee participant in the areas of academic achievement, community service, chapter involvement, leadership, essay responses and letters of recommendation. Spano, 17, has been a First Tee participant since 2003 at TFTMNY’s Mosholu facility located in the Bronx, where he volunteers his time and serves as a role model to younger First Tee participants, demonstrating the benefits of The First Tee’s Nine Core Values—Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgment.

Spano also volunteers at various youth programs at the New York Botanical Gardens, teaching children the importance of conserving and protecting the environment. In addition, he tutors students at Public School 89 as part of the READ Program, which is a summer curriculum designed to help inner-city elementary school students who are below grade level in reading and writing. In his volunteer work, Spano uses his own experiences from The First Tee to impress the meaning of perseverance as a way to improve reading, spelling and comprehension skills in second grade students.

“Paul has truly represented himself and our chapter at the highest possible level of excellence,” said TFTMNY Executive Director Barry McLaughlin. “I believe the impact he has made will benefit our other First Tee participants for years to come.”

As The First Tee’s Outstanding Participant, Spano was awarded a $20,000 scholarship provided by Shell Oil, The First Tee’s founding corporate partner, which was presented by Shell Oil Company Manager of Sponsorships and Events Chris Normyle, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and The First Tee Chief Executive Joe Louis Barrow Jr. (left to right, photo) Spano is currently completing his final year of high school at Fordham Prep, where he plays on the varsity golf team, and is looking forward to attending Fordham University, where he plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist.

The 2011 network meeting served as the launch for Phase IV of The First Tee’s development for the next five years. Goals include the introduction of healthy eating habits into First Tee curriculum in an effort to fight childhood obesity; increasing the number of young people being impacted by the Life Skills experience; growing the number of chapter program locations from 750 to 1,500; developing relationships with youth-serving organizations to offer the First Tee Nine Core Values golf program; and expanding its National In-Schools Program to more than 8,000 elementary schools nationwide. These goals lay out a road map for The First Tee to continue to be a positive force in society by reaching America’s youth and exposing them to The First Tee and its Nine Core Values.

In addition, The First Tee named former President George W. Bush as honorary chairman at the network meeting. Bush succeeds his father, George H.W. Bush, who served as The First Tee’s honorary chair since the organization’s inception in 1997. Guest speakers included Kevin Donnellon, President of Macali Communications, who provided social media expertise, and LPGA great Annika Sorenstam, who discussed her commitment to The First Tee. For more information on The First Tee visit www.thefirsttee.org.