Gary & Donna Koch Family Foundation Scholarships

 

Gary Koch has had a distinguished career, both as a PGA Tour professional and national golf announcer. Gary and his wife Donna, along with their two daughters, established their family foundation to provide educational opportunities to the youth of Tampa Bay. In 2020, the Gary & Donna Koch Family Foundation Scholarships will provide the recipient with up to $10,000, divided equally over four years ($2,500/year). The recipients of the 2020 Gary & Donna Koch Family Foundation Scholarships are:

Alexis Castillo

Alexis has been a member of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for seven years. Over the years she has participated in numerous First Tee programs and events. She has been involved with Player’s Club where she has had the chance to go on some special trips with her peers such as visiting Golf Channel in Orlando and visiting certain colleges. Alexis has also attended the National Par -3 Championship hosted by First Tee Headquarters. Finally, Alexis also plays in First Tee Tampa tournaments and participates in First Tee Fundraising events. Alexis is currently attending the University of Florida.

 

Jacob Gallman

Jacob has been a member of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for the last three years and over that time he has participated in almost every program The First Tee of Tampa Bay has to offer. Jacob has been a part of our Player’s Club high school group for the past 3 years. This past spring Jacob and other Player’s Club Participants got a chance to design Foot Joy golf shoes for PGA Tour professionals through an initiative by the Valspar Championship. Jacob is planning to attend Miles College this fall where he will play on the golf team.

     

Scholarship Golf Outing at Historic Rogers Park Scholarships (Four-Year Awards)

Marshall Rowe Marshall Rowe has been a member of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for the last nine years. Over the years he has participated in First Tee programs such as Group Golf Lessons, Golf Team, Summer Golf Camp, Summer Travel Team, Tournament Series, and Player’s Club. Through Player’s Club, he has participated in several events that he says has helped shape his future. One of these events was a trip to visit the PGA Management program at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. He says what he learned on this trip helped him decide to pursue a career in PGA Golf Management. He will be attending Florida Gulf Coast University this fall.     Emersyn Brown Emersyn has been a member of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for ten years. Over the years she has participated in numerous First Tee programs and events including Golf Team, Summer Travel Team, Tournaments, and Player’s Club. Emersyn also participates in numerous First Tee of Tampa Bay fundraising events where she has spoken on behalf of The First Tee. Emersyn’s father Sam has been a long-time coach for The First Tee, running the program at Franklin Middle School for more than 10 years. Emersyn is currently attending the University of South Florida.      

Scholarship Golf Outing at Historic Rogers Park Scholarships (One-Year Awards)

(These one-time scholarship awards range between $500 to $2,500 per recipient)

Robbie Sulzer Robbie has been with The First Tee of Tampa Bay for two years. During his time with the First Tee Robbie has played in a majority of our tournament series events. Robbie has accumulated numerous first place finishes in the boys 15-18 division of the tournament series. Robbie has also participated in Player’s Club in the past and has volunteered in certain First Tee programming. Robbie will receive a one-year award of $500 and is currently attending Florida State University.     James Morotti James has been a member of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for the last 11 years. His favorite experience with The First Tee is when he got selected to attend The First Tee Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach. James got the chance to play with John Daly in the tournament and had a great time. He will receive a one-year award of $2,500. James currently attends Flagler College.     Geralyn Leath Geralyn has been a participant in The First Tee of Tampa Bay for the past seven years. Geralyn started with The First Tee back when she attended Ferrell Middle School and would take part in the schools golf program. Currently, Geralyn continues to stay involved with the chapter, as she works as a part time coach. She will receive a one-year award of $2,500. Geralyn currently attends Hillsborough Community College.   Sawyer Carlton Sawyer has been with The First Tee for over ten years. She started by participating in the Group Golf Lessons and Golf Teams. As she continued in the program, she participated in some of our more advanced programs such as Summer Travel Team. She will receive a one-year award of $500.  Sawyer is currently a junior at the University of Florida.       Morgan Powers Morgan has been a part of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for 3 years and says that her experience during that time has helped her achieve her dream of playing college golf. Morgan also participated in The First Tee’s PLAYERs Club program. She will receive a one-year award of $1,000. Morgan currently attends The King’s University.    

Mark & Cynthia Carron Family Foundation Scholarship

With the Carron Family’s involvement in the Tampa Bay community spanning over sixty years, the focus of the Mark & Cynthia Carron Family Foundation is on fostering education and philanthropy. The Mark & Cynthia Carron Family Foundation will provide the recipient with a one-time award of $1,650. The recipient of the 2020 Mark & Cynthia Carron Family Foundation Scholarship is:

Jordan Marin Jordan had been a member with The First Tee of Tampa Bay for six years. Jordan says that while she became a better golfer during her time at The First Tee, it also allowed her to create new friendships as well.  Jordan said “Before I was a part of The First Tee I did not know what it felt like to be a part of a greater cause.” Jordan recently earned her Associates Degree at Hillsborough Community College (Tampa) in the nursing program. She has now transferred to the University of South Florida where she will be majoring in Health Science with a concentration in Health Information Technology. Jordan also works at The First Tee of Tampa Bay as an assistant coach and summer camp counselor at Rogers Park GC.    

Karlyn Loucks Sachs Memorial Scholarship

The Karlyn Loucks Sachs Memorial Scholarship will provide two recipients with a one-time award of $1,000. The recipients of the 2020 Karlyn Loucks Sachs Memorial Scholarship are:

Samuel Smith Sam has been a part of The First Tee of Tampa Bay for the past eleven years. The First Tee has made a huge impact on his life. “Through The First Tee I’ve been able to network and meet new people, received my first ever job, play great golf courses all while becoming addicted to the game that I love.” Sam is attending Prairie View University in Texas is playing on the school’s varsity golf team. He also is still involved with The First Tee of Tampa Bay as a part-time coach at Rogers Park GC and participates in certain fundraising events.     Evin Jenkins Evin first joined The First Tee six years ago back when he was at Franklin Middle School. Evin says that it is close to impossible to describe the impact that The First Tee has had on his life. “I came into The First Tee as a young boy not knowing what path I wanted to take in life. Leaving The First Tee, I am a well-rounded individual ready for any challenge that life could ever throw at me.” Evin has already earned his Associates Degree in Finance from Florida International University, where he made the Dean’s List and is currently a senior.