Dimarco Awarded $4K Dennis Kettmann Memorial Scholarship

The 2021 Dennis Kettmann Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Dimarco Casillas, an ACE level participant of First Tee – Silicon Valley.  Each year golfers in the Dennis Kettmann Memorial Tournament raise funds to remember Dennis. Their generosity underwrites a special $5,000 college scholarship for a FTSV chosen participant. Dennis’s son and co-organizer of the Memorial Tournament, Matt Kettmann, learned the game from Dennis and knows that he must be smiling wherever he is knowing that his memory is now helping young people with FTSV pursue their college dreams. David Henningsen, who is also a co-organizer (featured in photo) shared, “It is so wonderful to have the recipient of the “Big D” scholarship play in our tournament and speak to the supporters about how FTSV has impacted him.” FTSV met Dimarco at a DRIVE school outreach event in Fischer Middle School located in San Jose. He began our program soon after the outreach event in the Spring of 2019. After taking several certifying and skills advancement classes, he quickly progressed to our top ACE level. Dimarco has excelled in the program, absorbing and exhibiting our core values and life skills. When he began our program, he had no golf experience yet after one year he made his high school golf team! He leads by example, shows up early to each class to practice, initiates conversations with his peers and coaches, and has a welcoming and positive approach to everyone he meets. We are excited to see Dimarco reach his goals and we are committed to being on his “Go-To-Team” as he continues his character-building and collegiate journey.