The Jacie Alexa Academic Fund was created in 2022 to honor the memory of Jacie Alexa Goudy.
Jacie grew up in Washington, Pennsylvania, and came from humble beginnings.
Born to a drug-addicted mother, it wasn’t long before Jacie, and her brother Jorryn, were removed from the household. Jacie was only two years older, but throughout Jorryn’s life, she was his mentor, his shining example, his lifeline.
They moved through foster care and were adopted into a household consisting of biological children, adopted kids, and foster children who came and went. Throughout the chaos, Jorryn and Jacie had one constant in their lives: each other.
Despite the many challenges she faced in her youth, Jacie graduated a year early with high honors from Trinity High School.
Always an intrepid learner, Jacie was interested in and exhibited tremendous skills in math, reading, science, and the arts. She was an astute leader, an encouraging mentor, and a rapt academic.
Through her hard work, she was accepted to Columbia University in 2014 with a full scholarship, and truly rose above by being the first in her adopted family to attend college. Through her encouragement and guidance, she led Jorryn to become the second.
While a college student, Jacie was an active member of her college community and a sister of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Jacie’s academic prowess served her well, as she earned herself a spot on the Dean’s List, a bachelor’s degree in political science, and a minor in Spanish. She was hired out of Columbia by the Bank of America on Wall Street in New York City, where she worked until her passing.
In her quest to achieve higher education, Jacie faced numerous financial obstacles. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to honor her by helping to remove as many of these hurdles as possible for other students at her alma mater: Trinity High School. Through the generous support of the community, enough was raised to create the Jacie Alexa Academic Fund at the WCCF.
The fund will issue annual grants to Trinity School District to assist financially-needy students of Trinity High School with preparing for, or gaining access to, post-secondary education. Examples of this assistance may include: fees to earn Advanced Placement college credits while in high school; fees to take the SAT, ACT, or other exam required to apply to a post-secondary educational institution; or fees to make application to a post-secondary educational institution.
Jorryn, remarked, “She would be ecstatic that children with no voice, no method or means to an education might be able to pursue their dreams. I think Jacie would have made enough money to come back and start something like this herself. It’s heartwarming that we as a community can do it for her. Every year, kids will be helped in her name."
Interested students at Trinity High School should contact their guidance counselor to learn more.