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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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4/23/17 2:00 PM