Portland Parks Seeks Ninth-Graders for Caddie Program
- Portland Observer
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
No experience needed; scholarships available
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is now accepting applications for the three-year Early Adventures in Golf for a Lifetime of Enjoyment (EAGLE) Caddie Program. This unique program gives current ninth-grade students the chance to gain valuable work experience, earn money over the coming summer, and potentially qualify for a full Evans Scholarship to the University of Oregon.
No prior golf experience is needed! Applications are open through Friday, May 1, 2026.
"Successful candidates are ready to work hard and excited to learn,” says PP&R Interim Director Sonia Schmanski. “Our EAGLE caddies show a commitment to personal growth, and we’re proud to help them go further. We look forward to a great summer with our new caddies."
EAGLE is a collaboration between PP&R’s golf program, the Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation, and high schools across Portland. The program provides hands-on job experience and encourages applications from students who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, non-binary, immigrants, or refugees.
Qualified students are paid an hourly wage, receive work credit hours, and have a mentor who monitors their progress. In addition, scholarship opportunities are available from their involvement in our program. The EAGLE Caddie Program is competitive, and not all applicants will be chosen.
Through the EAGLE program, students can apply for the highly regarded Evans Scholarship, which covers full college tuition and housing at the University of Oregon.
Congratulations to the most recent EAGLE caddies awarded full scholarships: Ella Monette of Cleveland High School and Dereon Peters of Jefferson High School.
Since 1990, nearly 100 Portland students have received full tuition and housing through the Evans Scholarship.
The Evans Scholarship is valued at over $125,000 for four years. The Western Golf Association (WGA) reports that 1,190 caddies are currently enrolled at 24 universities nationwide as Evans Scholars. Since the program began in 1930, over 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars. Evans Scholars maintain an average GPA of 3.3 and have a 98% graduation rate, with 95% employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Applications are open through Friday, May 1, 2026.
Students who attend high schools that are not located within the city of Portland may contact the following golf courses about their area’s respective caddie programs: Oswego Lake Country Club, Portland Golf Club, Riverside Golf and Country Club, Royal Oak Country Club in Vancouver, Tualatin Country Club, Waverley Country Club, and Willamette Valley Country Club.
