Langston Junior Boys and Girls Golf Club (LJRGC) was originally established
in 1990 under the umbrella of the nationally based “Hook-a-Kid-on-Golf
" program. In 1994, Langston Junior branched out to become a
more independent organization, and in 1997, the organization applied for
and received its own non-profit determination from the IRS.
An all-volunteer organization, Langston Junior Boys & Girls Golf Club
is located at the historic Langston Legacy Golf Course
in Northeast Washington, DC, one of the three metropolitan area courses
owned by the National Park Service. Over 200 boys and girls participate
every summer from late-June through August in Langston Junior’s
programs. Langston
Junior’s programs involve much more than just learning the mechanics
of golf; Langston’s volunteer instructors teach participants valuable
life lessons through the game. The children learn to respect themselves
and others; they also learn that golf, not unlike many of life’s
activities, takes discipline, determination, and organization. They learn
to cultivate principles of honesty and integrity, and they come to understand
the inter-relationship between excellence on the golf course and excellence
in the classroom through the after-school and weekend educational programs
that are offered in the Langston Legacy Educational Center. Participants
are recruited primarily from the DC school system and by word of mouth.
Over time, the summer camp has grown from under 100 to over 200 young
people, aged 6-18. Langston Junior Boys & Girls Golf Club provides
each junior golfer with equipment, covers the cost of trips to tournaments
and clinics, and offers its more senior members the opportunity to participate
on the Club’s Golf Team. LJRGC currently enjoys a five-fold mission:
- to inspire respect for self and others through the lessons learned from golf;
- to cultivate principles of honesty and integrity;
- to teach young people life lessons through the game of golf;
- to foster an understanding of the inter-relationship between athletic and academic excellence through its after-school and weekend academic programs; and,
- to provide a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment for all youth wishing to participate.
