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Drive4Change is testing its competency-based train-the-trainer model through a full fall-and-spring coaching beta at Ile Omode.

Dear Friends of Drive4Change, For more than a decade, I have seen what becomes possible when young people are given access, quality instruction, trusted relationships and room to grow. Drive4Change was built from that experience—not simply to introduce youth to golf, but to create pathways that can change the direction of a young person’s life. This summer, we provided more than 20 weeks of golf camp opportunities for beginning, intermediate and advanced players. On September

This summer, Drive4Change provided more than 20 weeks of golf camp opportunities for Oakland students—from beginners taking their first swings to intermediate and advanced players continuing their development. That progression matters. Our work is no longer limited to introducing young people to golf. We are building a year-round pathway that gives them somewhere to go next, keeps them connected to trusted coaches and allows their skills and confidence to grow over time. Than

Drive4Change returns to Ile Omode on September 22 for another year of school-based golf, mentorship and player development. Our coaches will work with more than 100 students throughout the school year, meeting students where they are and giving them consistent access to the game. The return builds on a strong summer and on the coach-share model we tested with First Tee Oakland this spring. The programming is working. Our next challenge is strengthening the transportation, sta

This fall, Drive4Change is launching the Oakland Middle School Golf League with space for 40 players. The six-week season combines weekly practices with Sunday matches at Metropolitan Golf Links and Corica Park, giving Oakland middle school students a real team experience and a clear pathway toward high school golf. Families will pay a $36 registration fee, with Drive4Change and its partners covering the remaining cost. That investment helps remove the financial barriers that

Drive4Change is gearing up for its first-ever fundraiser , Comedy & Cocktails , happening December 12, 2025. A night for parents, supporters, and friends to come together—laugh, share a drink, enjoy good food, and celebrate a year of powerful youth development. This event marks a milestone: the community stepping forward to help us scale the work. TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE: COMEDY and COCKTAILS

Drive4Change celebrates its second year of collaboration with Metropolitan Golf Links and Corica Park —two homes for youth programming, leagues, and family engagement. Looking forward, we’re preparing to expand our footprint to Monarch Bay Golf Club and Lake Chabot Golf Course , creating a true corridor of youth golf access across Oakland.

Drive4Change is proud to build a relationship with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) —a national leader in youth sports development. With shared values around access, equity, and character-based coaching, PCA feels like the perfect match. We hope to grow with them, learn from them, and maybe even get “drafted” into their national movement.

For three years, Drive4Change has been on campus Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Ile Omode School. Showing up with fun, structure, and intention. And still, it hasn’t felt like enough. Families wanted more. Students wanted more. And the school asked for more. In the 2025 school year , Wednesdays you’ll get. Our current fourth and fifth graders—who were only in first and second grade when this partnership began—are now on the doorstep of joining the Oakland Middle School Gol

This summer, over 80 students earned the chance to attend the ELEVATE Golf Academy x Science on the Court summer camp—combining golf fundamentals, movement science, teamwork, and hands-on learning. These camps are where confidence grows, friendships form, and kids discover new possibilities for their futures. Another milestone year in building a more equitable pipeline for Oakland youth.

Blending Basketball, STEM & Golf: A Game-Changer for Youth We are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership between Drive 4 Change and Science on the Court (SOTC), led by their visionary Executive Director, Mr. Dorian Bowler. Through this collaboration, we are excited to provide scholarships that empower underserved and underrepresented youth to experience the powerful fusion of basketball, golf, and hands-on STEM learning. Why This Matters At Drive 4 Change, we’ve always

Drive4Change is proud to partner with Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood in our work at Ile Omode School and beyond. Together, we’re bringing golf coaching, career exposure, and community-centered learning to more students and families each season. Partnerships like this help our mission grow deeper, not just wider!

Drive4Change has begun a powerful new relationship with UA Local 342 , the Plumbers & Pipefitters Union, to expand our FieldTrips Reimagined series. Students will step inside one of the region’s most advanced trade-training facilities for real exposure to high-skill, high-wage pathways. Our first FieldTrip is scheduled for January 28, 2026 —the beginning of something big.

Drive4Change is honored to welcome Curtis Robinson , San Francisco 49ers linebacker and the team’s 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee , into our growing family of supporters. Curtis shares our commitment to expanding opportunities for youth in underserved and underrepresented communities. Together, we hope to deepen our player development pipeline and grow the Oakland Middle School Golf League.

The inaugural season of the Oakland Middle School Golf League (OMSGL) is officially in the books—and what a launch. Five matches (three in spring, two in fall), 4.5 hours of weekly practice , and 13 dedicated student-athletes who showed up, worked hard, and grew as golfers and as young leaders. Some players are now moving into year-round development through ELEVATE Golf Academy—a sign that the pipeline is working. Huge thank you to the Alameda After School League for the

During Masters Week, award-winning KPIX5 sports anchor Vern Glenn featured Drive4Change in a special segment that aired across the Bay Area. The video—now live on YouTube—quietly launched our work into thousands of living rooms . A huge moment for the visibility of Oakland’s youth and the movement we’re building. If you didn't catch it live -- view here! Drive4Change, on KPIX 5! https://youtu.be/GRIKLarBfaQ?si=CuNk9snz1IXzvVx_

We’re incredibly proud to welcome WCF Insurance as our newest supporter in the Drive 4 Change movement! Their generous contribution adds more than just dollars to our mission — it reinforces our belief that community uplift starts with collaboration, vision, and a willingness to invest in the next generation. This week, we had the pleasure of meeting on campus at Ile Omode to celebrate the moment. Surrounded by some of our youngest participants, WCF presented their support i

Fueling the Vision — Lucious Bateman Foundation Supports Year 3 and Beyond We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for Drive 4 Change — we’ve been selected for a second year in a row to receive a generous grant from the Lucious Bateman Foundation! This incredible support is a testament to the power of our mission, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. As we close in on the end of Year 3 of our golf enrichment initiative, the impact of this grant is more than visib

Three years in, and the transformation is undeniable. What began as a small on-campus program has grown into a golf movement at Ile Omode School. Students in 1st through 3rd grade — and now even 4th through 8th — have had the opportunity to visit local golf courses through our "Field Trips Reimagined" series. These trips gave students their first look at fairways, bunkers, and greens — a chance to put their skills to the test and fall in love with the game in its natural envi

After the success of our first year, we returned to Ile Omode with fresh energy and a more refined plan. Now equipped with insights from our first season, we doubled down on building core motor skills while threading in more golf-specific exercises and drills. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning became a highlight on campus. Students sprinted to our station, eager to balance golf balls, mimic swings, and take their first real shots. With better balance, coordination, and confi