"I am writing this letter to recommend the First Green field trip program to elementary teachers and their students. My fifth graders visited Westminster National Golf Course in November 2016. Mr. Kraushofer, General Manager at Westminster National, and other area golf course superintendents, organized several STEM related activities for my students. Each activity was led by a superintendent and provided hands-on experiences relevant to our curriculum. We participated in activities designed to increase student understanding of water conservation, area of the greens, environmental impacts and equipment used on the golf course. My students had the opportunity to putt golf balls, climb on and learn about the types of equipment used to maintain the greens, calculate the area of a puttin green, and use a variety of tools and maps to understand how to properly maintain drainage of the greens. My students enjoyed their time learning first-hand how math and science are used to maintain and operate a successful golf course while being a responsible steward of the natural environment. I highly recommend a First Green field trip to other fifth grade classes."
Diane Kelbaugh, 5th grade STEM teacher, Spring Garden Elementary, Hampstead, Md.