First Book Tees Up Second Annual Virtual Golf Tournament for Educational Equity

National nonprofit launches charity golf event with Topgolf and World Golf Tour to bolster educational resources in Title I Schools

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with Topgolf and World Golf Tour (WGT), First Book is launching the second annual First Book Open virtual golf tournament. The interactive, online charity event offers a fun, innovative way to support First Book's long history of transforming the lives of educators in under-resourced communities.

The First Book Open tournament is now live as today kicks off 31 days of virtual golf that unites the collective strength of purpose-driven collaboration to support kids in need and eliminate barriers to educational equity. The tournament will consist of a Closest to the Hole Challenge offering all players a quick and fun way to enjoy the virtual links and compete for prizes. The 9-shot contest rewards players for accuracy and encourages contestants to climb the leaderboard and improve their odds for the end of tournament sweepstakes drawing.

Participants can log into WGT from August 1 – August 31 and select to play on the historic Congressional Golf Course to participate in the First Book Open. Players can enter gameplay for free and compete for the top three overall scores on the leaderboard, which will be awarded $1,000, $500, and $250 prizes respectively. Players will also be entered into the sweepstakes drawing every time they complete a full round, making them eligible to be selected as the tournament sweepstakes winner and chosen to send a First Book Marketplace gift certificate to an eligible school in their community.

"At First Book, we are leveling the educational playing field to ensure every child can benefit from the joy and opportunity of a quality education," says Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. "Thanks to our partners at Topgolf and WGT, we are climbing to the top of the leaderboard of social impact. By spreading awareness about the barriers to quality education and equipping educators with essential resources, research, and best practices, the collective impact of small contributions throughout this event can be transformative. I've been practicing since last year and look forward to hitting a hole in one for the kids we serve!"

There is an immense educational resource gap in America that continues to widen. In the lowest-income communities, books have been as scarce as one book for every 300 children. This diminished access to books coincides with a national literacy crisis as students struggle to achieve reading proficiency across the country. The distribution of resources and heightened awareness of the challenges students and educators face is essential in bolstering the foundation for student success.

"Our purpose at Topgolf is to bring joy through more ways to play the game of golf, and when you add in the chance to play WGT for First Book's cause, the joy only multiplies," said Rich Fishman, Director of Game Partnerships at Topgolf Games. "It's an incredible opportunity for us to bring more play to the world while supporting the admirable work our friends at First Book do day in and day out."

WGT offers a platform to not only entertain but catalyze collective impact in an exciting new way with millions of players all over the world.

Tee off today by visiting WGT. To learn more about the virtual tournament or to inquire about partnership opportunities visit First Book.

About First Book
Education transforms lives. First Book is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the more than 600,000 members of the First Book Network, the largest online community of individual educators, professionals and volunteers dedicated to supporting children in need across North America. This Network is the key to creating systemic change. Through our research arm, First Book Research & Insights, we conduct studies that aggregate their voices to identify barriers to equitable education and inform strategic solutions. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources, and access to leading experts through the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to support this underserved community. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at www.firstbook.org and visit our award-winning eCommerce website at fbmarketplace.org.

Media Contact
Ian Kenison
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SOURCE First Book