Jacie started with our chapter in fifth grade. Wasn’t that just yesterday? Now she is a high school senior playing on the Palm Beach Gardens golf team and will be attending college starting in August!
Chapter student Jacie Goodman has enjoyed an incredible eight years as a First Tee student. She attended the Game Changers Academy in Boise, Idaho and the John Deere Drive Your Future Academy in Detroit, Michigan. She has volunteered as an Assistant Coach and worked at the Els Center of Excellence serving students on the autism spectrum.
During her sophomore year she asked about joining our caddie program. There was an opening available at Old Marsh Golf Club and her journey began to become an Evans Scholar. Through the Western Golf Association, the Evans Scholars Foundation awards full tuition and housing scholarship to deserving caddies. There are currently 1,070 promising young men and women at 22 leading universities across the country.
To earn this prestigious and very competitive scholarship candidates must demonstrate:
– A strong caddie record………Jacie will have over 160 loops in 3 years.
– Excellent academics…………How about a 3.7 GPA.
– Financial need………………..Jacie grew up in a single parent household.
– Outstanding character……….First Tee, Sports Management Magnet, Els for Autism volunteer, National Honor Society, Golf Team Captain.
“The members at Old Marsh simply love Jacie,” said Chapter Executive Director Carl Mistretta. “It has been an incredible three-year experience for her. We are so appreciative to the members and golf staff at Old Marsh, especially Caddie Master Ron Letellier who played such an integral role in her success. She is not only our first chapter student to win the scholarship, but she is also the first female caddie from Florida to become an Evans Scholar!”
Jacie applied to 9 Evans Scholar colleges and was accepted to Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and many others. The last step was earning the Evans Scholarship. During her scholarship interview, there was not a dry eye in the house. She was awarded the scholarship and will be attending the University of Michigan in the Fall. Go Blue!
“Michigan was always her first choice, and her dreams have come true,” said Jacie’s mom Paula Goodman. “She worked so hard for this scholarship. It took so many people to make it happen for her- First Tee for the opportunity, the members of Old Marsh and the Evans Scholars Foundation. These generous people have changed Jacie’s life.”
Pictured above, left to right: John Braniff- Evans Foundation Director and Old Marsh member, Jack Druga- VP Development Evans Foundation, Paula Goodman, Jacie, Ron Letellier, Carl Mistretta and Emily Valentine.
