December 2023 Pace Center Visit
There is a big difference between “talking the talk and walking the walk.” In other words, actions speak louder than words. In early December, 2023, the Juvenile Justice Committee visited Pace Center for Girls Collier at Immokalee where we became somewhat more aware of what walking the walk requires to help at-risk girls overcome their histories of trauma and achieve their vision of success. Besides the excellent Pace statistics, we were especially impressed by: our Pace guides Alyze and Shantal, the smiles of all the girls we encountered as we toured the school, and the upbeat decorative posters created by the girls throughout the halls reminding us about Empowerment, Girl Power, and Honor the Female Spirit. We couldn’t help but smile and feel our spirits soar, too!
Founded in 1985, there are 23 Pace Center communities located in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Pace Centers provide a safe, supportive, positive environment to help girls from 6th through 12th grade gain the confidence and skills to find their voice, increase their confidence, improve academically, engage in their communities, and become successful adults. Pace Collier at Immokalee is one of the alternative schools in the Collier County Public Schools system. Featuring small class sizes and an individualized approach, it provides a year-round day program comprised of education, counseling, and life skills training. In addition, Pace Reach Services provide mental health and other support services to girls outside the schools. Pace is funded by variety of sources including Federal and State monies, local school boards, and approximately 30% from grants and contributions.
