Cortez resident and former Montezuma-Cortez school board member Layne Frazier has been nationally honored as the 2024 First Tee Teacher of the Year. This recognition comes from Frazier’s work to enrich “lives through golf on the Navajo Reservation.”
Frazier is an elementary PE teacher at Eva B. Stokely Elementary School in Shiprock.
“This prestigious award highlights Layne's extraordinary efforts in introducing the game of golf to students on the Navajo Reservation and using it as a vehicle for youth development,” a press release from First Tee said on Wednesday.
Frazier was recognized at the First Tee Network Summit that took place in November, along with other honorees. The First Tee program is taught at 30,000 elementary schools across the country, according to information provided by the group.
They added that Frazier has used First Tee curriculum in his PE classes for over a decade, teaching students who have never experienced a golf course about golf. Frazier also modifies lessons accordingly “so that all students, regardless of ability, can participate fully and feel valued.”
“Layne Frazier's work stands as a testament to the power of golf in shaping the lives of young people. His passion, creativity and inclusive approach make him a standout educator and a deserving recipient of the 2024 First Tee Teacher of the Year Award,” First Tee said.
First Tee Four Corners exists to teach students how to build inner strength, self-confidence, resilience and more through the sport of golf. They also aim to teach students how to set their own goals and resolve conflict responsibly, while promoting golf “as a lifelong sport.”
More information about First Tee Four Corners can be found online at www.firstteefourcorners.org.
