Ten participants receive scholarship awards for higher education
DETROIT, MI – Kiah Underwood, 15, from The First Tee of Cleveland, and Demarcus Hopkins, 18, from The First Tee of Portland, were named as the two RBS Achievers of the Year during an awards ceremony at the site of the PGA Championship on August 7. RBS will donate a $10,000 scholarship to each recipient. RBS and Golf Digest Publications, both Trustees of The First Tee, collaborated with The First Tee to present the fifth-annual RBS Achievers of the Year Awards.
“Through RBS’ continued support of The First Tee, we are thrilled that in its fifth year, this worthwhile program continues to honor such deserving young people,” said Sandra Pierce, president, Charter One Bank, Michigan. “RBS congratulates Kiah and Demarcus for their remarkable efforts. All of the young people involved in this year’s RBS Achievers of the Year program have made their families, The First Tee and RBS proud.”
“Golf Digest is proud once again to support the RBS Achievers of the Year Awards,” said Thomas J. Bair, vice president and publisher of Golf Digest. “The First Tee and RBS represent vital qualities such as trust, honesty, hard work and integrity, which make up the DNA of our brand, and are the reasons for our involvement with these awards since their inception. Congratulations to both Kiah and Demarcus for this recognition of their perseverance and accomplishments in life, and we wish them continued success.”
In addition to Underwood and Hopkins, eight other semifinalist participants from The First Tee facilities worldwide received $1,500 scholarships. Click here to view the complete list of the 2008 RBS Achievers of the Year Awards winners.
Demarcus Hopkins has been a participant at The First Tee of Portland for five years. He is Birdie-certified and will become the first member of his family to attend college this fall. Born with developmental disabilities that hinder his ability to speak and read, he quit the golf team to attend Sylvan Learning School to improve his reading skills. His perseverance paid off as he now maintains a 3.2 GPA and will attend Benedict College this fall and play on the golf team.
Kiah Underwood is a participant at The First Tee of Cleveland. When Kiah was eleven, she and her family were involved in a major car accident. She suffered multiple injuries, and underwent several surgeries on her arm. The accident left her with restricted use of her arm and severe scarring. She joined The First Tee in 2006 as a shy and introverted young lady, and has undergone a complete transformation. Her strong will combined with her involvement with the Chapter has helped her overcome the emotional and physical pain caused by the accident. She currently participates in golf and other activities.
“Kiah and Demarcus epitomize how the game of golf and The First Tee can transform lives. Their efforts to overcome their individual challenges make them extremely deserving of this honor,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee. “The First Tee is proud of all of the 2008 Achievers and grateful to RBS and Golf Digest Publications for their continued support of this educational program.”
The RBS Achievers of the Year Awards recognize outstanding participants for succeeding in school and their daily lives as a result of their experience with The First Tee. The program goal is to positively impact youth by rewarding selected participants for exemplifying one or more of The First Tee Nine Core Values™ by demonstrating leadership, community service, teamwork, overcoming obstacles and improving school grades and attitude. The First Tee Nine Core Values are honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.
RBS has been a supporter of the game of golf for over 100 years, through its association with The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and The Open Championship. By partnering with The First Tee, RBS is extending its commitment to the game of golf in the U.S. For more information about RBS’ commitment to the game, visit www.rbssport.com/golf.
About The First Tee:
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, FL at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 2.2 million participants and students in 48 states and four international locations – Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore. Former President George Bush serves as honorary chairman.
About RBS Group:
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (“RBS Group”) is one of the world’s leading financial services companies providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, and wealth management services. In 2007, RBS Group posted total revenue of $57.7 billion and operating profit before tax, goodwill amortization and integration costs of $20.76 billion. RBS Group serves more than 40 million personal customers world-wide and employs 170,000 people, including nearly 30,000 in the U.S.
In the U.S., RBS Group owns Citizens Financial Group (retail bank, credit card and merchant acquiring businesses). Following the acquisition of Charter One in September 2004 it has grown to become the eighth largest U.S. bank by deposits with a presence in 13 states.
About Golf Digest Publications:
Golf Digest Publications is part of Condé Nast Publications. Condé Nast Publications, a unit of Advance Publications, includes twenty-eight consumer magazines and their websites, eight uniquely branded websites, the Fairchild Fashion Group, Parade, the Condé Nast Media Group, and the Shared Services Centers.
Contact:
Carita Parks, The First Tee
(904) 940-4353
