Pace Insights

Apr

How Mental Health Counseling Helps Pace Girls Reach Their Potential

Posted on: April 26, 2023

Nearly three years ago, Summer Kirk signed up to change lives. In the years since she joined the Pace Pinellas team as a counselor, Summer has served hundreds of girls – providing a steady support system as girls navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mental health crisis, and a regular slew of challenges such as poverty, bullying, and mental health.

A holistic support system is one of the biggest benefits Pace girls gain in counseling. Girls often enroll in Pace in a tough spot – having struggled with their relationships, schoolwork, or mental health. Summer says: “Some of the girls don’t have that person who they can look to for help or guidance or direction. That’s a big piece of counseling – not only mental health tools but providing support, if they ever need anything, or need to talk to somebody.” Having this reliable, compassionate, and trusted presence in their lives empowers girls to be the best versions of themselves, and even when things don’t go to plan, girls know that they always have a supportive place to land.

The past three years – amid a global pandemic – certainly haven’t been easy for middle- and high-school-aged girls. Summer remembers “it was like pulling teeth to get girls to come into school” at the beginning of the pandemic. Social anxiety and depression spread like wildfire, and girls really struggled to re-immerse themselves in their educational and social lives.

Creative thinking from Summer and her peers allowed Pace staff to continue serving girls despite these challenges. From counseling appointments in the parking lot to home visits, Pace staff ensured every girl felt supported. Through counseling, girls learned how to process their life experiences, new coping skills – like how to cope with challenging thoughts and behaviors, and how to manage their emotions. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but Summer is inspired by “the little progress girls make every single day.”

This dedication and innovative thinking makes Summer a truly exceptional counselor, and her colleagues and students aren’t the only ones who think so. This month, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas honored Summer with the 2023 KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Award, an award honoring exceptional social service professionals who consistently put kids first. The Juvenile Welfare Board governs financial investments in organizations that “give children the best opportunities to lead meaningful and purposeful lives.” Summer certainly fits the bill.

This Counseling Awareness Month, we’re grateful for the incredible work all of our counselors do every single day. Not only do counselors teach valuable lessons and provide useful skills – but they change the trajectory of our girls’ lives. Summer says: “Girls enroll in such a hopeless place. Six months to a year later, they’re in such a different spot. So many girls have graduated or gotten to a really good place, and they couldn’t have done it without the support systems at Pace.”

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At Pace, our team of dedicated teachers, counselors, therapists, and directors foster safe, supportive, and inclusive environments for our girls to help them reach their goals. Get involved with Pace and check out our current  open positions! 

Apr

Inspired By Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Their Community, Two Georgia Girls Are Making It Clear That They Aren’t Accepting The Status Quo

Posted on: April 24, 2023

Uncategorized

May 1st is a day for high school seniors across the nation to celebrate their successes and look ahead to their future: National College Signing Day. For Sakiyah and Tatiana, high school seniors in Macon, Georgia, their motivation for success they say, “comes from their community.”

Tatiana, who cites Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as a source of inspiration, is graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class and will major in Political Science at Howard University in the fall. She hopes to become a Senator and among her many accolades, she is a recipient of the highly selective Bill Gates Scholarship.

Sakiyah will attend Georgia Southern University and is the first person in her family to graduate high school and attend a four-year college. She is in the top 10 of her high school class academically, works more than 30 hours a week and recently was crowned prom princess.

Both girls made it clear that young people are not accepting the status quo. Instead, when they see a problem, they find a solution. Community challenges? They address them. Systemic failure? They study legislation and rewrite the system.

“In Macon, crime is very real. For people my age, you end up dead or you end up in jail,” shared Tatiana. “I joined the law academy my sophomore year of high school by force. I originally wanted to be a doctor. After taking the class I realized I was into politics, and I wanted to help my community.”

The girls reported that they believe the biggest challenge facing high school girls in their community is an inordinate amount of anxiety and stress — much of it centered on “graduating high school and doing well without a lot of support outside of school.”

While college enrollment has fallen overall since the onset of the pandemic, enrollment for young women in 2022 dropped at twice the rate of men. These statistics are alarming, particularly for young women like Tatiana and Sakiyah, for whom a college degree can be a critical tool for a successful future.

Both girls identified additional stressors during their senior year of high school and enrolled themselves in the Pace Reach Program to receive additional counseling services beyond what their mainstream school provides. Kourtney Mikell, the girls’ Pace Reach counselor, emphasized the need to understand the role mental health plays in getting girls to and through college.

“In college, I plan to be enrolled in multiple clubs and organizations like I am now,” said Tatiana, who is a member of Skills USA, DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), a student ambassador and a member of her high school’s news team. “Ms. Kourtney helped me come up with plans so that whenever I feel overwhelmed, I have a safe place and safe steps to know what to do.”

“Mental health varies. When you recognize you are not okay mentally, you have to accept it within yourself before you can get help,” shared Sakiyah. “Mrs. Kourtney has helped me be more open to things and express my feelings.”

Both girls recognize they have a significant role to play as young leaders — using their voices and talents to make a difference in their families, schools and community. More importantly, they recognize the importance of self-care and prioritizing mental health.

As for what she envisions her community’s future looking like, Tatiana said, “I will advocate for women’s rights until the day I die.”

Apr

Embracing Growth and Change

Posted on: April 4, 2023

Advocacy

Pace girls come from all backgrounds, but throughout their time at Pace, we teach them to embrace growth and change while working to invest in their futures.

For many Pace girls, feeling discounted and doubted can be a familiar feeling. Lexi, a freshman at Pace Treasure Coast, knows it too well: “I didn’t feel believed in when people told me that I wasn’t going to make it out from where I came from. But I did everything I could to try and prove them wrong.” Many girls like Lexi come to Pace after experiencing challenges, such as living in poverty, experiencing trauma, and struggling with their mental health.

Every day, our exceptional team of counselors and therapists work to create safe, inclusive spaces and help girls realize and harness their power.

Amber, a freshman celebrating her one-year anniversary of enrolling at Pace, is proud to be a good listener to her friends, often helping them solve their problems. She remembers: “My friends told me they believed in me because I’m basically their counselor. They believed that I could help them and make them believe in themselves, and that made me believe in myself.”

Amber isn’t the only one who has felt affirmed by her peers at Pace. Laura, an 8th-grade student, loves when her peers recognize her artistic talent. She says: “Whenever I get to show people [my art], and they complement me about it, I get really happy. I love getting compliments because I’m being recognized for something that most people wouldn’t really think is a big deal, but for me it is.”

This support for each girl’s individual strengths is at the center of the Pace experience. In Spirited Girls, one of Pace’s signature classes, girls build a monthly affirmation calendar and then read an affirmation each day. Lexi says “It helps boost my confidence. When people put me down, I say ‘I am, I can, and I will.’”

And this encouragement extends outside of the classroom. Laura shares her gratitude for her counselor, saying: “I really look up to my counselor. Miss Lena is the backbone of this place: She does so much for us.”

Above all, the lessons girls learn every day at Pace are directly tied to their future ambitions. Amber, whose friends affirm her incredible ability to make them feel heard and seen, wants to be a guidance counselor. Lexi, who is learning to believe in herself, aspires to be a biomedical researcher or a psychiatrist. And Laura, who loves art with her entire being, wants to be an animator.

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The girls and young women Pace supports receive academic instruction and work closely with counselors and therapists trained in gender-responsive and trauma-based therapy. These resources are made available to girls at no cost to them. Know a girl who could benefit from Pace? Learn more and enroll today!

Mar

One Hundred Teen Girls Meet Florida Legislators at Pace Day at the Capitol

Posted on: March 31, 2023

Advocacy

There is one engine that will continue to drive the future: the power of our girls and young women. We see every moment and new day as an opportunity for empowerment as we work to inspire and connect the next generation of leaders.

More than 100 Pace girls from across the state met with members of the Florida House, Florida Senate and other elected officials and leaders at Pace Day at the Capitol. During two days of meetings, training and programs, girls learned about policymaking, ways to effectively advocate for themselves, and how to authentically share their stories.

“The speeches really got to me. It was empowering to hear Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell say that I could be signing his paycheck in the future and one of these offices could be mine,” shared Sadie, 14, a Pace girl from Collier at Immokalee. “And, when Josefina Tamayo said, ‘I will, I can and I do,’ that really got to me.

Girls heard from Alice Sims, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Prevention Services for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell from the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Career and Adult Education, Josefina Tamayo, CEO of Volunteer Florida and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, Chair of Criminal Justice Appropriations, who hosted a mock Senate session on the merits of requiring middle and high schools to have a later start time.

“My favorite part of the day was the mock Senate session because I got to sponsor the bill,” shared Ryann, 17, a Pace girl from Jacksonville. “It felt like I was able to project to everyone that every girl has a voice. After participating in Pace Day at the Capitol, I’m inspired to hopefully work in legislation one day. I feel inspired to be one of the women I heard from during the Women in Politics panel and potentially have my own bill one day.”

A panel of members of Pace’s Board of Trustees focused on Women in Politics and encouraged girls to set goals and consider multiple career paths. The panel included former Sen. Anitere Flores, Brittany Perkins Castillo, Chief Executive Officer of AshBritt Environmental, and Marva Johnson, Group Vice President, State Government Affairs for Charter Communications, and was moderated by Tracy Mayernick, of The Mayernick Group.

“Because of Pace Day at the Capitol and the female legislators I met, I feel like I am not alone and capable of sharing my story to make a difference for future generations,” shared Jossmaire, 16, a Pace girl from Jacksonville.

“Pace Day at the Capitol gave me the opportunity to be myself, talk to other people and not feel uncomfortable,” shared Gabby, 14, a Pace girl from Volusia-Flagler.

“I was given a really cool opportunity to meet legislators who represent my community and other Pace girls,” shared Makaila, 18, a Pace girl from Citrus.

Women who have come before us have given present day girls and young women the opportunity to make their voices heard. Women like Vicki Burke, the founder of Pace Center for Girls, who is recognized in the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame for her impactful legacy.

At Pace, we know the strength our girls have individually, but we are stronger together. When we collaborate with one another, lift each other up and unify for a cause, we can accomplish great things.

Pace’s work has positively impacted the lives of more than 40,000 girls and over the past decade has contributed to a more than 60% decrease in the number of girls that are referred to Florida’s juvenile justice system. Eight out of 10 girls that attend Pace graduate from high school, pursue higher education or secure employment after the program.

The belief in our girls today will create lasting generational change, transforming our world for the better.

Pace Day at the Capitol was made possible thanks to a community of support who believe in the great in every girl, including TECO Energy, Florida Lottery and The Mayernick Group.

Jan

Investing in Women and Girls’ Futures

Posted on: January 17, 2023

Uncategorized

January is Poverty in America Awareness Month — a time to recognize the past and present effects of poverty in our communities. The cost-of-living crisis facing the world is putting women’s livelihoods, health and wellbeing at risk.

Pace Center for Girls often operates in the intersection between poverty, mental health, and education, with 90% of Pace girls living below the poverty line. For Lisa Spears, Pace Reach Manager in South Carolina, this statistic represents an opportunity to better serve girls, their families and communities.

That’s where Pace’s Reach program comes in. Pace Reach is in more than 17 communities across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, and provides free mental health services to over 1,000 girls every year. The girls and young women we support receive academic instruction and work closely with counselors trained in trauma-based therapy and suicide screening. They also get life coaching to learn basic life skills, such as personal hygiene, shopping for groceries and how to land their first job.

For girls growing up under the poverty line, having access to counseling and therapy isn’t a given. And with the other challenges associated with poverty — like working extended hours, caretaking duties, and lacking resources such as laptops or reliable internet access — middle and high school girls can slip through the cracks. That’s why Pace Reach therapists are so critical: “Sometimes you have to help elevate a girl’s voice to get her at the front of the line,” Lisa says.  

One Pace girl shared: “My family and I had been facing some challenges — a lot of it came from financial struggles. The tipping point was the eviction, which hit me really hard. When we were forced out, the people took everything — my clothes, my laptop, all the things I needed for school, and I felt guilty. I prided myself on being an overachieving 16-year-old, and I believed I could have done something to prevent this situation. A mentor of mine recommended that I reach out to Pace and talk to someone. I am the most resilient person I know and because of Pace, I can recognize that.”

From increasing their grades to working on improving their mental health, Pace girls go on to succeed in school and have a real sense of their worth. That’s what makes Lisa so hopeful for the future of the girls she supports. “We say to them: ‘Once a Pace girl, always a Pace girl.’ They have pride in the fact that they participated in Pace and improved their skills and ability to make safe and healthy decisions.”

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Are you a girl who’s interested in Pace? Know a girl who may benefit from our programs? Click here to learn more about life at Pace and how you can enroll.  

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