The Caddie & Leadership Academy, located in Rochester, New York, is a summer caddie program, providing young men and women the opportunity to learn and grow both on and off the golf course.
Our Vision
Changing lives by providing a proven pathway to college for under-resourced young men and women through a foundation built around caddying.
Our Mission
To promote leadership development, positive role models and self-sufficiency through the art of caddying and the game of golf.
“The Caddie & Leadership Academy has given me the opportunity to hear many success stories that could benefit my life. It also gave me the opportunity to learn the responsibility of having a job, being patient, respectful, and helpful to others.”
Who We Are
The Caddie & Leadership Academy exists thanks to our hardworking volunteers, golfers, and generous donors. We are a registered nonprofit organization, with 100% of fundraising proceeds going directly to the program and its participants.
Not-For-Profit Organization
100% Volunteer Driven
What We Do
Through the Caddie & Leadership Academy, we provide young men and women the unique opportunity to learn and grow through the great game of golf. The Caddie & Leadership Academy provides summer caddie opportunities to under-resourced high school students living in the Rochester area. Program participants have the ability to earn money, develop important relationships, and learn valuable life lessons from role models through a foundation built around caddying.
The Caddie & Leadership Academy program assists young people in developing their leadership skills, and instills in them the value of strong work ethic and perseverance. The program offers them the chance to build authentic relationships with role models and mentors in the community, and gain valuable life experiences while enjoying the natural splendor of the golf course.
The Process
In order to be eligible to participate in the Caddie & Leadership Academy program, candidates must be entering their freshman or sophomore year of high school, and:
Achieve academic excellence with a minimum 3.0 GPA
Display outstanding character
Demonstrate a financial need
Youth participants agree to caddie for golfers during the summer months (June, July, August) at partnering country clubs at no charge three days per week, with the Caddie & Leadership Academy providing each caddie a monthly educational grant as compensation for their hard work. In addition to caddying three days per week, each program participant must attend one weekly leadership class. Participants also commit to a community service project, totaling six hours of volunteer work for a local nonprofit organization.
Outcomes
Previous Caddie & Leadership Academy participants have a strong caddie record, excellent academic achievement, and outstanding character built through leadership development, dedicated work ethic and perseverance.
Successful completion of the Caddie & Leadership Academy program prepares participants for the Western Golf Association’s prestigious Evans Scholarship application process, making them eligible to apply.
Two Caddie & Leadership Academy participants have recently been awarded the prestigious Evans Scholarship, and are both currently attending Penn State University—one studying to be a physical therapist, the other in business school.
Since 2017, 30 high school students have successfully completed the Caddie & Leadership Academy program.
Funding
The Caddie & Leadership Academy program is funded through individual donations, grants, and fundraising. 100% of fundraising proceeds go directly to the program and its participants.
The average cost of the Caddie & Leadership Academy program is just $1200 per participant, per year.
The average undergraduate tuition and fees of The Big Ten Conference (B1G) universities is $12,821 for state residents and $36,456 for out of state students in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Collectively, we can turn an investment of $1,200 into $120,000 (approximate value of four-year tuition) for deserving young men and women upon successful completion of the Caddie & Leadership Academy and acceptance into the Evans Scholars program.