Opening Doors: An Educator’s Perspective on Pathfinders

March 4, 2025 | Program Update

Ruth Sword has been a Physical Educator with Charleston County School District for 17 years. She got her start at Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori School in North Charleston and has supported many elementary schools in the area, including Montessori Community in West Ashley, where she’s been teaching for 14 years.

Getting Started with Golf

Coach Ruth doesn’t consider herself a golfer or at least didn’t have any experience playing the sport until 2014. “My oldest son wanted to play, and we enrolled him in a First Tee program. It was a great experience, so I called Bucky about getting involved [in the In-School Program]. I remember him coming here and sitting down in my office. I didn’t know anything about golf… I remember him explaining the difference between birdie, bogey, and par in his excited Bucky way. He set up the whole lesson and stayed the whole day to help me teach it.”

Ruth Sword, Physical Educator & First Tee In-School Program Partner

Ruth has been teaching a golf unit every year since then. She also trains and chaperones a Montessori Community School team for Champions Cup, our annual Golf & Life Skills tournament for elementary students. Her team even won the tournament in 2016. Ruth keeps their Champions Cup plaque in her office and still recalls the students by name who played that year, most of whom are in college now.

Montessori Community School is all smiles after winning Champions Cup in 2016

Non-golfer to golf parent to golf coach and, more recently, a repeat RBC Heritage volunteer—it’s  hard to imagine Ruth Sword ever being intimidated by a sport that now occupies so much of her time, but she suspects the overwhelming nature of golf is what keeps most kids (and PE teachers) from giving it a try. She appreciates that First Tee keeps things simple (In-School Program curriculum focuses on using two clubs), and she believes the confidence found in demystifying an unfamiliar game will serve her students well in life, even if they never set foot on a golf course.

First Tee lesson at Montessori Community School introduces fundamentals with two clubs.

And confidence is just one of the Core Values being taught in Ruth’s First Tee lesson plans… “We go over those [Core Values] all the time, even when we aren’t in our golf unit. When students are struggling, I’ll ask ‘how can we use good judgment’ or ‘how can we show perseverance?’ The kids know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Coach Ruth’s students solve a Core Value Challenge at Champions Cup.

A Pathway to Pathfinders

Coach Ruth only sees her students for about 3 hours per week, but that isn’t stopping her from making waves beyond the classroom. Last year, she helped a child tap into life-changing support, information, and opportunities (something we call social capital).

As a First Tee parent and In-School Program partner, Ruth receives (and thankfully for us, also faithfully reads) our monthly newsletters. She’s been following our Pathfinder Immersion Program (PIP), a needs-based golf and STEM enrichment initiative for middle and high school students, since its inception in 2021. When a call for PIP applicants went out, Sword was committed to finding an ideal candidate, but she needed some help… “I only get to work with my classes for 45 minutes at a time so I don’t always know what their home life is like. When I got the email about Pathfinders, I forwarded it to our upper elementary teachers.”

Pathfinders visit local businesses to learn more about career opportunities.

The teachers at Montessori Community develop a unique understanding of their students, both academically and socially. Most students enroll early, around the age of 5. Lower and upper elementary teachers maintain the same students for at least three consecutive years (lower elementary teachers maintain the same students for grades K-3 and upper elementary for grades 4-6). When a new student transferred in at the age of 10 last year, Ruth recalls everyone taking notice. “[This new student] came in quiet… We have a lot of affluent families at Montessori Community, and those kids are busy with summer and weekend activities. [This student] was making friends, but the upper elementary teachers noticed [they] were having trouble with basic conversations about vacations, sports, and interests outside of school.”

The upper elementary teachers suspected some financial challenges at home, but didn’t fully know the extent until they teamed up with Coach Ruth to help the student apply for PIP. “There were a lot of challenges… like transportation. We didn’t want to get [this student’s] hopes up if we couldn’t make it work, so I emailed Coach Johnson. He assured me First Tee could provide a solution… We all cried when [they were] accepted. We were so excited.”

After a packed 6-week summer schedule (Monday – Friday) and a school year’s worth of Saturday enrichment activities, including chess lessons, etiquette classes, a robotics competition, fieldtrips, and playdays at some of Charleston’s most esteemed golf courses, Coach Sword and her colleagues can hardly believe the transformation… “[This student] now has something special in [their] life… something to talk about and look forward to—opportunities they wouldn’t have if First Tee didn’t offer this kind of program.”

Pathfinders visit Charleston Area courses, like Cassique, to work with pros & mentors.

The positive changes witnessed at school are consistent with social emotional surveys administered to Pathfinder Immersion Program participants, in which 71% of students demonstrate achievement or growth in social skills and 79% demonstrate a high level of academic self-efficacy (a perceived mastery over their own learning and academic potential) after program enrollment.

And this is only the beginning… Ruth’s student will continue with year-round golf and STEM enrichment at no cost—meals, activities, equipment, and transportation included—through high school graduation with an extended family of First Tee coaches and mentors to cheer them on thanks to generous community support and teacher advocates like the team at Montessori Community School.

Want to help this and other Pathfinders build life-changing social capital? We will add eight rising 6th graders to the program this summer, and the application window is open now through April 14. Make your impact by sharing our application, volunteering as a mentor, or making a financial gift.

Canaan and Michelle Win 3rd Annual Mini Mentor Cup

Canaan Adams pictured with his mentor/mom, Michelle

March 3, 2025 | Program Update

Thank you to all the mentors, kids, and volunteers who joined us yesterday for our 3rd Annual Mini Mentor Cup, and special thanks to Charleston Fun Park for sponsoring!

33 mentor/mentee teams, featuring youth participants from our On-Course and Pathfinder Immersion Program, played 36 challenging mini-golf holes, and submitted their best 18-hole score for chance to win the Mini Mentor Cup title and a Charleston Fun Park arcade card. 12 year-old Canaan Adams and his mentor/mom, Michelle, captured first with an impressive score of 35.

De’Marrion Ellison and his mentor, Glenn Hudock, placed second, and Miles Phelps and his mentor/dad, Donald, placed third. Both teams scored 36 on their best 18.

All of our teams played well, and we thoroughly enjoyed all the games and snacks that Charleston Fun Park has to offer after the tournament.

Want to get involved in events like Mini Mentor Cup? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, or visit our Mentor Page to learn more about how you can help Charleston Area young people pursue their personal best.

Join Us for Our 3rd Annual Mini Mentor Cup

Join us for our annual mini golf tournament!

Sunday, March 2
11:30am-1:00pm
Charleston Fun Park
3255 N Hwy 17 Mt. Pleasant

Tournament Format: Adult/child pairs will play best ball. Both teammates will play each hole. The team will record the best score. Each team is required to use at least four of the junior participant’s scores.

Teams: A child can team up with any adult (a parent, grandparent, neighbor, friend, coach or mentor). If your child does not have a teammate, please email Meghan@FirstTeeCHS.org. We have volunteers on stand-by who would love to play!

Cost: A $10 donation per team includes 36 holes. Donation waived registration is available as needed. Please email Program Director Meghan Taylor to learn more about financial assistance.

Registration Deadline: February 17 (Please note that space is limited, and openings may fill up before the registration deadline.)

Presented By:

Register Your Team

Registration is at capacity. Please join our waitlist if you would like to attend, and we will contact you if space comes available.

First Tee – Greater Charleston Hosting Spring Program Lottery

January 27, 2025 | Press Release

Charleston, SC—First Tee – Greater Charleston is hosting a registration lottery January 27-February 2 for spring programs at seven Charleston Area golf courses. Spring programs, which meet once a week for 8 weeks, will tee off the week of March 10, and First Tee’s On-Course Golf & Life Skills curriculum is suitable for children ages 5-18. 

No golf knowledge or prior experience is required for lottery entry or program participation, and no equipment purchase is necessary. First Tee supplies everything a child needs to get started.  

Families are encouraged to register at their convenience during the lottery period at FirstTeeCHS.org/register. To ensure all children have an equal opportunity at limited golf course openings, selections will be made at random.  

Random drawings will occur February 3-4. First Tee will only contact families who are selected, and families will have 48 hours to accept electronically. Program registrations that are not finalized within 48 hours, will pass to another applicant. Selections will continue until all openings are filled.

First Tee – Greater Charleston will host three On-Course Golf & Life Skills lotteries this year and expects to serve about 1,200 young people at Berkeley Country Club, Charleston Municipal, The Club at Pine Forest, Dunes West Golf & River Club, Patriots Point Golf Links, Shadowmoss Golf Club, and Wescott Golf Club. 

The organization expects to serve an additional 22,000 children at Charleston Area schools and community centers.

Volunteer coaches and mentors play a vital role in First Tee’s mission to help kids build character through the game of golf. All skill levels (including teens ages 16 and up) are welcome! Apply now at FirstTeeCHS.org/volunteer to get involved in spring programs.

Pathfinders Wrap Up an Exciting Summer

July 25, 2024 | Program Update

This week marks the end of our fourth annual Pathfinder Immersion Program summer camp. Program participants, grades 6 and up, have been meeting Monday-Friday for STEM activities, professional enrichment, and golf instruction. We will continue meeting with these participants each summer and on Saturdays throughout the school year until they graduate high school. That’s 7 years of impactful programming!

Pathfinder curriculum is designed to foster curiosity and personal growth, on and off the golf course. Our summer sessions feature a wide variety of engaging enrichment activities and memorable field trips. Here are just a few highlights from summer 2024…

Our camp kicked off with team-building games at Charleston Day School, which functioned as a home base for our Pathfinders this summer. This is our second year utilizing Charleston Day’s space, and we truly couldn’t do all that we are doing without the continued support of Catherine Skeen and the CD team.

Students have enjoyed a series of routine activities and outings each week. Routine activities included visits to Berkeley Country Club on Mondays where they received instruction from Coach Kara Cook, Coach Tank, and Coach John. Students also visited Topgolf once a week to sharpen their skills and had a chance to work with the Pros from Yeamans Hall Club (Alec Brown, Cameron Cappuzzo, Matt Harpster, Nicholas Villareal, and Tyler Morse) at Patriots Point Golf Links each Friday.

Students also participated in weekly mock trial practice sessions, etiquette lessons with Chris-Ann Streeter, chess lessons with Brian Jerauld, and STEM activities—coordinated by the YoArt team and Frank Hatten from Boeing SC’s Dream Learner Program.

A huge thank you goes to Amanda Perry, Esq. and Steve Smith, Esq. for practicing with our kids each week and organizing our fourth annual mock trial event, which took place at Mount Pleasant Town Hall July 19th. Special guests included Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, Esq. (acting as judge) and Officer Gause (acting as bailiff).

Etiquette lessons with Ms. Streeter will culminate in a special end-of-summer luncheon, and there have been whispers that our Executive Director, Bucky Dudley, intends to challenge Coach Jerauld’s most adept chess pupil to a match.

Our Pathfinders also enjoyed meeting local business leaders from Defense Engineering Services (DES), Main Ocean, Frampton Construction, Seafox Boats, Smithey Ironware, Synovus, and Volvo to learn about each respective industry.

Additional enrichments included a tour of the International African American History Museum, a horticulture therapy lesson at MUSC, visiting the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History at the College of Charleston, hands-on learning activities with the NASA Space Grant Consortium, and a boat-based field trip to the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve. Students also heard from guest speakers at Charleston Day School. Officer Rice taught us everything we need to know about routine traffic stops, and Dr. Anthony Oddo spoke with us about health and hygiene.

And what summer would be complete without outings that are purely fun? Play-based field trips included bowling, escape rooms, a ropes course, TIPS Golf Club, a girls’ outing at Wild Dunes to play with the Wild Dunes Ladies Golf Association, and a boys’ trip to Wedgefield Country Club in Georgetown. Our Pathfinders even had an opportunity to play a few holes at Kiawah Island Club’s beautiful Cassique course.

Hats off to our remarkable team, Lead Coach Lerone Johnson, Assistant Coach Maya Timmons, and Camp Counselors Mason Auker, Jermylah Breeland, Esther Etherington, and Larry Goss, for coordinating 6 amazing weeks of activities, meals, and transportation for our students. And, of course, none of that would be possible without tremendous community support.

There are many ways to get involved with our Pathfinder Immersion Program. Please contact Coach Johnson to explore mentor opportunities and enrichment partnerships, or consider a monthly gift to support continued program growth.


July 29, 2024 | UPDATE: Our Pathfinders celebrated the end of summer camp and all that they’ve learned with a special luncheon at Lamar’s Sporting Club. Thank you to our Etiquette instructor, Chris-Anne Streeter, for helping us develop the skills needed for such an occasion, and many thanks to Lamar Bonaparte and his team for their hospitality.

Meet Our 2024 Interns

June 6, 2024 | Program Update

Summer is an exciting season! When the school year ends, we reach hundreds of children through community partner organizations, and we host a full-day, Monday-Friday summer camp for our Pathfinder Immersion Program participants. This is in addition to summer Core Golf & Life Skills classes at seven course locations.

Thankfully, reinforcements have arrived! Meet our 2024 team of interns…

Mason Auker

Mason just finished his senior year at University of Southern Indiana and graduated with a Sports Management major. While at USI, he worked with the women’s basketball team while they claimed OVC Regular Season and Tournament Champ titles. He’ll be assisting with our Pathfinder Immersion Program, and says he’s “excited about coaching the next generation of golfers, meeting new people, and spending the summer in such a beautiful environment.”

Jermylah Breeland

Jermylah recently earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from the Honors College at South Carolina State University. At just 20 years old, she graduated early and Summa Cum Laude! Jermylah will be assisting with our Pathfinders, and says she’s most excited to “meet new people and try new things.”

Esther Etherington

Esther attends Franklin College and just finished her sophomore year as an Elementary Education major. She also happens to be a First Tee National Scholar. Esther will be coaching our Pathfinders and says she is excited about “watching the growth and development of First Tee – Greater Charleston youth, both on and off the golf course!”

Larry Goss

Larry Goss attends Coastal Carolina University and just finished freshman year as an Exercise Science major. He says he loves the gym, and he’ll be sharing his love of health and wellness with our Pathfinder Immersion Program.

Ben Schwing

Ben attends Christian Brothers University and just finished his senior year as a Marketing Major. He also played soccer for Christian Brothers and says he’s one of 7 kids! Sounds like he will have no trouble adjusting to large camps of young people as a community outreach intern.

Jake Stanbrough

Jake hails from Texas but is almost local… He just finished his knob year at The Citadel where he’s studying mechanical and electrical engineering. Fun Fact: Jake helped design and make a golf ball picker for his high school. He’ll be putting that resourcefulness to work as a community outreach intern and says he’s “excited to educate.”

We are SO GRATEFUL these young people have chosen to spend their summer with us, helping Charleston Area youth develop interpersonal skills and life-changing values through the game of golf!

If you know a young person who would like to join us for summer 2025, it’s never too early to start planning. Email Meghan@FirstTeeCHS.org to learn more, and subscribe to our newsletter for application reminders.

New Program Location for 5-6 Year Old Participants Effective Summer 2024

April 9, 2024 | Program Update

With the introduction of an age-based curriculum in 2023, we experienced amazing program growth among older participants (teen participation increased 107% from the previous year). To accommodate a growing number of families on our waitlist without over-extending our generous golf course partners, we’ve made the difficult decision to move our 5-6 year-old programming in Mount Pleasant to an off-golf course setting.

Effective summer 2024 (and for all seasons beyond that), our 5-6 year-old classes in Mount Pleasant will move to the lawn adjacent to Dunes West Golf & River Club’s pool on Friday afternoons. The program will continue to be an introduction to First Tee’s Golf & Life Skills curriculum. Instructors and participants will exclusively use SNAG equipment and focus on important fundamental abilities like balance, flexibility, and object control. Click here to learn more about SNAG, which we also use in our In-School Program. 

There will be no change to current programming (spring 2024). The Mount Pleasant program location change will go into effect summer 2024 and will be in effect for all future seasons. Additionally, our Summerville area 5-6 year old classes will remain unchanged at The Club at Pine Forest. Our summer registration lottery for all ages and locations of programs will take place April 29-May 5. Click here to learn more about our registration process.

We are extremely grateful to Dunes West Golf & River Club for allowing us to utilize their lawn and look forward to a fun-filled summer season!

If you have any questions, please reach out to Program Director, Meghan Taylor: meghan@firstteechs.org.

Charleston Area Elementary Students Demonstrate Golf & Life Skills at Champions Cup

March 27, 2024 | Program Update

Teams from 16 Charleston Area elementary schools traveled to Wescott Golf Club on March 20th to compete in our annual Champions Cup tournament. This event, which is made possible by Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and generous community support, celebrates In-School Program participation, and it’s one of our favorites because many of the students have never seen or played on a golf course before.

Photos by Banner Photography

Participating students, who were selected by their PE teacher, demonstrated their knowledge of our Golf & Life Skills Curriculum by competing in 9 golf challenges and 9 core value challenges. Touring professional Kyle Westmoreland dropped by to demo our inflatable chipping hippo and cheer on the kids.

Students also had an opportunity to learn about golf course design from course architect Troy Miller, who redesigned Charleston Municipal.  

The following schools, all of which belong to our In-School Golf & Life Skills Program network, participated in Champions Cup:

Mt. Zion Elementary School
Charleston Development Academy
Orange Grove Elementary Charter School
Whitesville Elementary School
Lambs Elementary School
Montessori Community School
Charleston Progressive Academy
Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School
Goose Creek Elementary School
Stiles Point Elementary School
Chicora Elementary School
Julian Mitchell Elementary School
St. John’s Catholic School
Sanders Clyde Elementary School
James B. Edwards Elementary School
Oakland Elementary School

All teams had fun, played well, and exhibited First Tee’s Nine Core Values (respect, courtesy, responsibility, honesty, sportsmanship, confidence, judgment, perseverance, and integrity). 

Congratulations to Orange Grove Charter School on finishing third, Montessori Community School on finishing second, and this year’s champions Ashley River Creative Arts! The Ashley River Creative Arts team will be recognized at a special awards ceremony at their school and each team member will be presented with a free set of golf clubs. 

Many thanks to the donors, coaches, and volunteers who make Champions Cup possible!

About Our In-School Program & Champions Cup

First Tee’s In-School Program is open to any elementary school in Berkeley, Charleston, or Dorchester County. Age-appropriate equipment, curriculum, training, and coach support is all subsidized by generous First Tee donors. First Tee programming is currently offered in 41 schools, and all schools who join the In-School Network qualify for Champions Cup participation, at no cost.

The Champions Cup tournament is an annual event, presented by First Tee – Greater Charleston in partnership with the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation. It celebrates In-School Golf & Life Skills Program participation. In addition to creating a feel-good field trip experience that exposes children to a new environment, this event is designed to reinforce core values and interpersonal skills that apply to life beyond the golf course.

School administrators and PE teachers who would like to get involved can email Meghan@FirstTeeCHS.org to learn more.

Baron and Chandler Win 2nd Annual Mini Mentor Cup

Baron sinks four hole-in-ones to win 2nd Annual Mini Mentor Cup at Charleston Fun Park.

January 22, 2024 | Program Update

Thank you to all the mentors, kids, and volunteers who joined us for our 2nd Annual Mini Mentor Cup at Charleston Fun Park yesterday! We hosted 32 mentor/mentee teams who played a best ball format on 36 chilly and challenging holes. Teams submitted their best 18-hole score for a chance to win game cards. 14 year-old Baron, who made four hole-in-ones, and his mentor, Chandler, took home first place with an impressive 18-hole score of 31.

Jack and Trip brought home second place with a competitive score of 37.

All participants played well, and teams topped off the afternoon with complimentary games and go-kart rides, courtesy of Charleston Fun Park and generous donors.

Game Changers Immersion Program Has a New Name

Pathfinder Immersion Program participants visit College of Charleston for a robotics lesson.

January 1, 2024 | Press Release

First Tee – Greater Charleston is kicking off the New Year with a new name for its golf and STEM enrichment program. The Pathfinder Immersion Program, which launched under the name Game Changers in 2021, will continue providing year-round athletic, academic, and social/emotional support to students grades 6-12. The rebrand, set in motion by a Board of Directors vote in November, simply aims to more clearly communicate program objectives.

“We say it all the time… ‘First Tee – Greater Charleston is Building Game Changers.’ That means all of our programs–immersion, on-course/after-school, in-school, and community outreach–are Building Game Changers,” says Bucky Dudley, Executive Director. “Rebranding the immersion program is just a formality, but we hope the distinction between our tagline and this specific program will help people better understand what we’re trying to accomplish–at an organizational and program level.”

First Tee’s mission is to positively impact the lives of youth by providing structured educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choice through the game of golf. The newly dubbed Pathfinder Immersion Program is merely one tool in First Tee – Greater Charleston’s toolbox.

Dudley says “It’s still the same great program.” That means Pathfinder Immersion Program participants will continue to enjoy a full day of enrichment activities Monday through Friday each summer and Saturday meetups during the school year with all transportation, meals, and equipment provided at no cost thanks to generous donations.

A major component of the program, since its inception, has been and will continue to be professional development and STEM curriculum administered through enrichment partners such as Boeing, Synovus, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University, Terracon, Frampton Construction, Main Ocean Logistics, Seafox Boats, and others. Pathfinder Immersion Program Director Lerone Johnson, Sr. says, “Our goal is to expose young people to a variety of educational options and career paths in hopes that they will be prepared to make informed choices as they mature into positive productive adults.”

Pathfinders visit Frampton Construction for a professional enrichment presentation.

The Pathfinder Immersion Program, will continue accepting a new class of rising sixth graders each summer and relies heavily on community support for continued expansion. Individuals who want to explore volunteer or enrichment partner opportunities are encouraged to contact Coach Johnson (Lerone@FirstTeeCHS.org). 

About First Tee – Greater Charleston

Established in 2008, First Tee – Greater Charleston serves young people, ages 5-18, from all walks of life. The 501(c)3 offers on-course, in-school, and community outreach programs that teach life-enhancing values and interpersonal skills through the game of golf. The organization reaches thousands of children each year in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties–19,869 young people in 2023 alone. Visit FirstTeeCHS.org to learn more.

About the Pathfinder Immersion Program

The Pathfinder Immersion Program launched in summer 2021 with six students. In 2022, the program earned the Barbara A. Douglass and Dr. William J. Powell Diversity Award from The TORO Foundation and was featured on the Golf Channel. In 2023, program participation increased to 22 students thanks to generous community support and USGA IDEA Grant funding. First Tee – Greater Charleston endeavors to serve more than 50 students through the Pathfinder Immersion Program by summer 2027. Visit FirstTeeCHS.org/pathfinders to learn more.  

Join Us for Our 2nd Annual Mini Mentor Cup

Join us for our annual mini golf tournament!

Sunday, January 21
11:30-2:00pm
Charleston Fun Park
3255 N Hwy 17 Mt. Pleasant

Tournament Format: Adult/child pairs will play best ball. Both teammates will play each hole. The team will record the best score. Each team is required to use at least four of the junior participant’s scores.

Teams: A child can team up with any adult (a parent, grandparent, neighbor, friend, coach or mentor). If your child does not have a teammate, please email Meghan@FirstTeeCHS.org. We have volunteers on stand-by who would love to play!

Cost: Tournament entry is $10 per pair and includes 36 holes. Financial aid is available as needed. Please email Program Director Meghan Taylor to learn more about financial assistance.

Registration Deadline: Sunday, January 12 (Please note that space is limited and openings may fill up before the registration deadline.)

Presented By:

Register Your Team

Thank you for your interest! This event has reached capacity. Click here to join our waitlist.

Let’s Talk Podcast with Carolyn Murray

August 28, 2023 | Feature Story

Our Executive Director, Bucky Dudley, sat down with WCBD News 2 Anchor and First Tee Board Member Carolyn Murray to explain what First Tee is all about and why he got involved.

Listen to Carolyn’s Let’s Talk podcast weekly for more local news, and contact Bucky to learn more about how you can get involved with Charleston Area youth development programs.

*Program cost is referenced in this podcast. 97% of First Tee – Greater Charleston program participants receive free programs in schools, through community partnerships and via on-course program scholarships. On-course program fees are $60 for families who do not qualify for financial aid.