What? – A detailed description of what you did during your STEP experience.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, my proposed STEP plan had to be altered. The clothing purchased was still used for the interview process for a position with Fifth Third, but unfortunately, due to Fifth Third’s downsizing of the company, the position I would have received was dropped. Also, the summer Theatre program I was hoping to begin did not receive as much interest as I had hoped. Instead, I decided to revive the summer junior golf league at Adams County Country Club. It was a very easy switch because I used the same plan that I would have used for the Theatre program, except it would be with golf. This junior program had been very popular in the past, but due to poor management, it had not been available to junior golfers for several years. The first thing that needed to be done was figure out why the league had stopped in the first place. I believe that it is beneficial to learn from past mistakes and sought out a meeting with the manager of the golf course where the league would be held. After a few meetings, he gave me the green light to begin preparation. I wanted to make sure to retain the junior golfers that had played in the past and contacted them first. To attract new golfers, I attended local elementary schools to give a small presentation as to what the league would entail. We would be offering instruction to all levels; from beginners to experts. A $30.00 startup fee would be charged to every golfer along with a $3.00 a week charge for green fees. After a lot of marketing, the league flourished with a total of 56 golfers. Although we never had more than 45 golfers at one league day, this was quite a success. The golf course made quite the profit, as Thursday had always been their slowest day of the week. The league ran for 10 weeks, on Thursdays usually from 8 AM to 1 PM. Two tournaments have been held including an Independence Day tournament and a family scramble. We are eagerly preparing for our final tournament which is the Junior Club Championship.
So What? – A personal response to your STEP experience, including feelings, thoughts, judgments, and what you have learned about yourself and your assumptions from what you did and how you reacted.
The success I felt while teaching children the game of golf helped me to develop confidence in communicating with others. This skill is beneficial in all aspects of life, especially in the business world I am preparing to enter. Each aspect of golf I taught helped me to hone my mental capabilities and strengthen my verbal skills. Speech delivery opportunities I encountered during the small tournaments held and lessons given highlighted necessary communication skills of public speaking. I was able to polish important communication skills that I could later incorporate into a business setting. Golf is a game of honesty and integrity. If I introduce adolescents to golf, they, too, will begin to discover the importance of integrity. They will also be exposed to the many career options present in golf. This golf league presented opportunities where I could share my knowledge while I develop the professional skills of running a small nonprofit business.
Now What? – Discuss how the things you experienced and learned during your STEP experience will affect your academic, personal, and life goals moving forward.
Planning this summer golf league allowed me to learn how businesses are started with hands on experience. I outlined the schedule, budgeted the needed expenses, and contacted the people and resources to put this plan into action. This project allowed me to branch out and have the experience of putting what I have learned at school into action, thus bridging the gap between novice and professional. The requirements of this league has been especially helpful in developing my future career aspirations. There were times I was required to wear business casual clothing and be expected to communicate on a level different from that of a student. My vocabulary skills have been strengthened and my intellect has been challenged to absorb everything I could during this experience. I believe this opportunity was most valuable in teaching me while I, in turn, taught others.
