14th Annual Tee Off for Children's Literacy Golf Tournament Fundraiser

Grab your clubs and join All Ages Read Together (AART) for a day of fun, friendly competition, and community impact at our annual charity golf tournament — Tee Off for Children's Literacy. This isn't just about birdies and bogeys — it's about building brighter futures for our youngest learners!

Early literacy is one of the strongest indicators of lifelong success, yet too many Loudoun children enter kindergarten without the tools they need to thrive. 56% of Loudoun's economically disadvantaged children, without preschool, did not meet the literacy benchmark in kindergarten. (STEP).

With your support, we can change that. All proceeds from the event go directly to supporting AART, a local nonprofit that provides free preschool education to working families who do not qualify for publicly funded preschool. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just along for the good vibes, your participation helps us give every child the opportunity to start school ready to read, grow, and succeed.

So come out, swing for a cause, and help us turn the page toward a brighter future — one child, one story, one swing at a time.

Peter Knapp - AART Golf Chairman
Michelle Sullivan - AART Executive Director

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I pay my green fees with a check or cash? We prefer that golfers and sponsors pay electronically through our Registration system; however, we accept checks and cash. Please email us at info@allagesreadtogether.org on how to do so.

When does the tournament start? Registration and breakfast will be open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, with a shotgun start at 9:00 a.m. We ask that all golfers make an effort to arrive as early as possible to have enough time to check in, have breakfast, listen to opening remarks and rules, and grab drinks for their carts.

What are the prizes? There are 1st & 2nd Place NET and 1st & 2nd Place GROSS for teams. For individuals, there are Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive (Men), and Longest Drive (Women).

What time is lunch served? The buffet-style luncheon will be set out after half the teams arrive back at the clubhouse, typically between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. You are welcome to browse the silent auction, network with other players, and enjoy some appetizers while you wait for the rest of the teams to join. Once all teams return, we will have the awards ceremony and final remarks.

Why did prices go up this year? We made the difficult decision to increase the ticket price this year due to rising operational costs. Unfortunately, keeping the price the same would have meant a loss for our organization with each ticket sold. We truly appreciate your understanding and continued support.

Are there sponsorship opportunities? Yes! On the right side, click Sponsor Our Event to see what sponsorships are available. We have a limited number, and it's first come, first served.

Why is preschool so important? We are so glad you asked! Preschool is the time when children learn the foundational learning and social skills that they will carry with them for a lifetime. Far too many are left behind because preschool is NOT part of the public school system in Virginia. Only 29% of economically disadvantaged children attend preschool (Hughes).

Children who enter kindergarten without preschool experience are typically 12.- 14 months behind their peers. (US Dept. of Ed.). If they cannot catch up and read at a basic level by the end of third grade, they are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma (Hernandez). For economically disadvantaged third graders in Loudoun County, only 49% meet grade-level reading standards, putting 5 out of every 10 children in that position (VDOE).

What is a unique AART program? AART is the only portable preschool serving Loudoun and Fairfax Counties directly in the communities we serve. All AART classes occur in donated in-kind spaces like libraries, community centers, and affordable housing complexes. This helps keep administrative costs low so more money goes to our program and helps keep our classes accessible by foot or public transportation.

Why should I trust AART as a nonprofit? 83% of our funding goes to our program, which is 13% higher than what Charity Navigator (a trusted nonprofit that values and rates charities) suggests (70%). (Sanchez).

Speaking of Charity Navigator, AART has the highest rating of four stars!
At Candid, AART has the highest rating with the Platinum Transparency seal of approval.

References

Hernandez, D.J. (2011). Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED518818.pdf

Hughes, E. (2021-2). Insight Region - Ready for Kindergarten, Ready for Life. Retrieved from https://www.cfnova.org/images/InsightRegion_IPS3_ReadyforKindergarten_ReadyforLife.pdf

Sanchez, Michelle. (2023). Nonprofit Ratios: How to Use Them and What They Measure. Retrieved from https://warrenaverett.com/insights/nonprofit-ratio...

STEP - Stepping Towards Excellence in Preschool. (2023). Full-Day Phased Approach Proposal for FY24 and Beyond. Retrieved from https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf/files/CP9MKM5AEDD7/$file/

Virginia Department of Education. (2024). Grade 3 English Reading. Retrieved from https://schoolquality.virginia.gov/divisions/loudo...