Waltham, MA (April 23, 2025) |
BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) and the GoodWorks Foundation announced the Officer Paul Tracey Memorial Scholarship in a press conference held at the Waltham Police Department headquarters (155 Lexington Street) on Wednesday.
The scholarship honors the late Waltham police officer who was fatally struck by a vehicle, along with National Grid employee Roderick Jackson, while working a detail on Dec. 6, 2023. Officer Tracey served with the Waltham Police Department for 28 years and was a dear friend to many throughout the community. He is survived by his wife Kristin and their two children.
BrightBridge and the GoodWorks Foundation donated $20,000 to establish the scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a graduating Waltham High School senior who intends to pursue a career in law enforcement or public safety. The scholarship amount will be $1,600, commemorating Officer Tracey’s badge number 16.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to BrightBridge Credit Union and the GoodWorks Foundation for their generous support of this memorial scholarship,” said Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell. “Every day we live in Paul Tracey’s memory and serve the public with compassion and pride like he did, so having this scholarship and helping recruit some younger generations into our field goes a long way.”
“The credit union industry is very oriented to the mission of people helping people,” said BrightBridge President & CEO John J. Howard. “It’s part of our own mission, and I can’t think of anyone more aligned with this mission than our first responders. We are so honored to establish this scholarship and continue Officer Paul Tracey’s legacy.”
Waltham High School will oversee the application process and the recipient will be selected by the Foundation Committee. The committee has received and reviewed scholarship applications for 2025 and the inaugural winner will be announced as part of Waltham High School’s awards night event on May 29.
“This is very meaningful because Paul worked so hard in the city of Waltham and we live here,” said wife of Officer Tracey and Waltham Police Officer Kristin Tracey. “It’s so important that the youth of Waltham can benefit from this. I was the [School Resource Officer] at Waltham High School and still know these students. To see their drive to go into law enforcement is so exciting.”
For more information about BrightBridge, visit www.brightbridge.com. For more information about the GoodWorks Foundation, visit www.brightbridge.com/
