When First Tee – The Lowcountry held its Community Leadership Awards banquet this past April, it wasn’t just to recognize members of our community who uphold and exemplify the core values of the storied youth golf organization. Along with honoring neighbors from all walks of life, First Tee also took the opportunity to announce the winner of its Raleigh Peters Memorial Scholarship.
Now in its third year, the scholarship was established to provide $5,000, renewable up to four years, for the further education of a First Tee student who has proven themselves as someone who goes above and beyond in their school and in their community.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for is somebody who utilized their time well in high school and are already thinking about their future,” said Pat Zuk, who serves as executive director of First Tee – The Lowcountry as well as on the selection committee for the scholarship.
Laura Peters (right) and Delaney Anne-Amelia Arroyo, winner of the Raleigh Peters Memorial Scholarship.
In Delaney Anne-Amelia Arroyo, the committee made an excellent choice. Along with her exceptional academic career and long involvement with First Tee, Arroyo has proven to be a motivated student at Hilton Head Island High School, founding the school’s Student Advocacy Club. Arroyo founded the club after struggling to adapt to a move back after years in Indiana. Its focus is dedicated to making every student feel heard, safe, and valued.
“She leads a 50-member club representing student voices and presenting agendas to the district. That really conveys how she can see a need and act on it. I thought it was very impressive,” said Zuk. “We’re all very interested to see what becomes of her five or 10 years down the road.”
For Arroyo, creating the Student Advocacy Club was almost a natural extension of her time as a student at First Tee. As she wrote in her scholarship application, “Inspired by the sense of inclusion and encouragement I experienced at First Tee, I wanted to create a similar environment at my school. This led me to build my club Student Advocacy, a club dedicated to making every student feel heard, safe, and valued.”
Delaney Anne-Amelia Arroyo is photographed with her parents.
In a cycle that only creates more and more opportunity in our community, First Tee inspired Arroyo and Arroyo inspired others. And now, thanks to First Tee’s generosity, she can pursue her goals and continue to lift up those around her.
“The First Tee has granted me the ability to pursue the college of my choosing due to their incredibly gracious scholarship, allowing me to grow and truly flourish at Furman, my dream school,” she said. “Overall, it has opened so many pathways, and even 10 years in the future I’ll still look back on this as a milestone and thank First Tee.”
To learn more, visit firstteelowcountry.org.