Local First Tee Participants Selected For National Honors

Logan Batiste selected to attend Leadership Academy and Karrington Knight awarded First Tee Scholarship

[New Orleans, LA] (Tuesday, June 12th) – Logan Batiste and Karrington Knight from The First Tee of Greater New Orleans were each selected for national opportunities this summer. Batiste will attend the Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. Life Skills and Leadership Academy in East Lansing, Mich. July 25–July 31. Knight was selected as a First Tee Scholar for the class of 2018 and was awarded the JAKE Scholarship.

Batiste will join 95 other junior golfers from The First Tee, ages 14–17, to participate in the Academy. The national event provides participants golf and leadership instruction that incorporate The First Tee’s Nine Core Values. During the week-long program, participants will have the opportunity to develop and hone skills to become leaders in their chapters, schools and communities while experiencing championship golf, career exploration and dorm living.

Batiste, 14, is a rising 9th grader and attends NOLA Micro Schools in New Orleans. Active in The First Tee for seven years, Batiste volunteers at Hope Food Pantry in New Orleans East and was recently selected to attend the Global Student Leadership Summit in Ontario, Canada.

“Realizing that only 96 participants were chosen, I’m very excited and humbled to get the chance to learn better life and leadership skills at Michigan State. Like the song says, Can’t beat God Giving…the more you give the more he gives to you!” said Batiste upon learning of his selection.

Knight, 18, was selected for The First Tee Scholars program, which is a distinction awarded to teen participants who excel in academics, leadership, character development, and chapter and community involvement. The JAKE Scholarships are awarded to ethnically diverse First Tee Scholars who demonstrate involvement at their local chapter, academic achievement and community service. A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to Knight, who will be attending Rhodes College in Memphis and playing on the school’s Women’s Golf team this fall.

Knight has been involved with The First Tee for eleven years and was selected for multiple national opportunities during her time in the program, in addition to being named The First Tee’s Participant of the Year in 2016. A recent graduate of Ursuline Academy, Knight was a member of four different Honor Societies and served on Student Council. She’s also an active member in Jack and Jill of America and a three-time recipient of the Barack Obama Community Service Gold Award.

“Logan and Karrington are both great representatives for our chapter. We’re excited to see Logan continue to develop his leadership skills through The First Tee’s programs. And while Karrington has graduated from our program and will be moving off to college in the fall, we know she’ll be back to help out in the future. Both of them will continue to work hard in the classroom and on the golf course to be the best they can be,” said Executive Director, Chip Patterson.

The First Tee is a youth development organization whose mission is to grow the game of golf by transforming the experience that kids and families have with the sport. Through in-school and after-school programs, The First Tee introduces kids to the game of golf and Nine Core Values, while positively impacting their lives. For more information and to learn about summer programs at The First Tee of Greater New Orleans, visit www.thefirstteenola.org.

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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, Fla. at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that promote character education 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 10 million participants and students in 50 states and international locations. Former President George Bush serves as honorary chairman. The Founding Partners of The First Tee are Augusta National Golf Club, the LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, and United States Golf Association.

About The First Tee of Greater New Orleans:
The mission of The First Tee of Greater New Orleans is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices, through the game of golf. The First Tee of Greater New Orleans serves youth ages 5 through 18 through after-school programs at twelve local golf course and park locations. Its outreach programs have been introduced at more than 50 local elementary schools and youth development agencies. The First Tee of Greater New Orleans currently impacts over 28,000 youth participants, teaching The First Tee’s Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits through its out-of-school time programs and outreach programs.