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Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Jon Kropilak, 785-532-5352, jkropilak@thefirstteemanhattan.org

Friday, June 13, 2008

RILEY COUNTY TEEN TO ATTEND FIRST TEE LIFE SKILLS ACADEMY AT K-STATE'S COLBERT HILLS

MANHATTAN -- A Riley County Middle School student has been selected to attend The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy, July 8-15, at Kansas State University's Colbert Hills Golf Course.

Karl Zerfas, 13, is a member of The First Tee of Manhattan. He was selected to attend the academy from more than 190 applicants, ages 13-17, who are members of The First Tee's golf learning facilities around the world.

"Although the academy will be in his hometown, Karl will have an opportunity to learn from and with people from throughout the world. He will be a wonderful representative of the local First Tee chapter and Manhattan," said Jon Kropilak, executive director of The First Tee of Manhattan and director of The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy.

The purpose of the academy is to provide participants with valuable character education and leadership instruction from The First Tee's life skills education curriculum and K-State's leadership studies program. Academy sessions feature workshops, career exploration seminars and golf clinics. Forty coaches will be on-hand to provide life skills and golf lessons.

The theme of this year's academy is "SuperSTAR for Life," Kropilak said. At the academy, participants will learn about various life skills such as self-management, planning and decision-making, interpersonal skills, and helping others.

"Participants learn about themselves and others during this rewarding experience," Kropilak said. "Many of these young adults have never flown on an airplane or traveled to another state. Most have never been away from home and on their own for an entire week."

The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy at K-State is designed to complement the national program, recognize and reward exceptional youth for their accomplishments and teach them important mentoring skills they can take back to their local chapter, Kropilak said.

The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 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 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 H. Bush serves as honorary chairman. More information about The First Tee is available at http://www.thefirsttee.org