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PACE Center for Girls

G

irl Power! Florida is booming 

with it. Pace Center for Girls, Inc. 

celebrates the power and potential 

of young girls. With 19 non-

residential centers throughout Florida, PACE 

Center is creating a girl-centered culture 

that is continuing to grow and thrive. The 

center balances the importance of academics 

while providing social services resulting in an 

experience that is nationally recognized as one 

of the most effective programs for helping at-

risk girls realize brighter and more productive 

futures. Kelsi Gately is a science teacher at 

PACE Escambia–Santa Rosa who began her 

journey as a volunteer and has been changed 

by the work she does at PACE saying, “I love 

my new position teaching the girls every day. 

They are the reason I wake up each morning 

with a smile on my face. When girls are asked 

what PACE means to them, the most common 

word used is home. I have grown and learned 

so much about myself being at PACE while 

helping and teaching the girls. I can’t wait to 

see the organization continue growing to have 

a positive impact on girls and young women 

across the country one day.” The success of 

the program and the girls they serve relies 

heavily on the support of our community, and 

it’s a crucial component that the girls in the 

PACE Center give back to others. As part of 

the PACE program model, 100% of the girls 

enrolled in the day program participate in 

community service projects each month with 

community partners like Manna Food Bank, 

The Favor House, The Ronald McDonald 

House, and Bayside Manor, to name a few. 

“Many times, these experiences provide the 

girls with unique hands-on education and 

exposure to a new field of study. The number 

of girls that have returned from a visit to 

The Humane Society that want to become 

future veterinarians, for example, proves that 

volunteering can benefit the volunteer every 

bit as much as the organization,” described 

Laurie Rodgers, Regional Executive Director. 

Laurie started at PACE over 22 years ago as a 

teacher and has completely fallen in love with 

the work that she does, “I still get a kick out 

of seeing my former students from those early 

years, now all grown up and so many with 

families and fulfilling careers,” she said. 

PACE Center for Girls Escambia-Santa Rosa 

is changing lives at their custom built center 

on the edge of the Pensacola State College 

campus. They have also recently launched an 

in-house GED program. “About 7 months 

ago, noticing a large number of girls enrolled 

in our day program who were over-aged and 

under-credited, we decided to start an onsite 

GED program that allows participating girls 

to continue taking full advantage of all of the 

counseling and social services that PACE 

provides. The incredible staff at the PACE 

Center work together to create a learning 

environment where each girl is empowered and 

equipped to unleash her own unique potential. 

The PACE Center has a way of sticking with 

you throughout your life. 

story by

 

Courtney Murray

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photos provided by

 

PACE Center for Girls (Escambia/Santa Rosa)

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