Dear Gentlepeople,
I am a second grade teacher at Horizons Elementary school in Appleton, Wisconsin. Six years ago, PGA Professionals Steve and Carolyn Howe provided resources and instruction so that our children could have golf in their PE curriculum. I am not the PE teacher, but I am a witness to the excitement and impact the program has had on my classroom students.
My students absolutely love when the “golf dude” comes to visit! As a teacher, I understand that how a subject is presented may make the difference between acceptance and rejection. I giggle at the Howe’s ingenuity as my young charges tell me how “cool” golf is; especially when the kids also share that they “thought they would not like it because it was only for old men…”
The golf program does many wonderful things for our school. First and foremost, a program of this magnitude would not be possible without the generous gift of equipment. Partnering the expertise of the PGA professionals with our teaching staff has led to a collaborative program that reaches the children on their turf and at their level: kudos to the Howes for taking the time to understand our educational requirements and building them into their program.
While my classroom children are not old enough for a field trip to the golf course, the program takes all the fifth and sixth grade classes. Easily, it is one of the most popular field trips each year. Socially and economically, golf is an experience that many of our students would not have “sampled” without the help of the Appleton Golf Initiative. I think I speak for our entire staff when I say that we believe the golf program adds to each and every child’s educational experience here at Horizon Elementary.
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