Pace Center for Girls helps young women become successful in Hillsborough County

The center helps steer the girls in the direction they need to be successful. A very focused group of young women are at the Pace Center for Girls in Hillsborough County to learn, because they've been given a second chance.

"Pace provides so many ways for us to succeed and for us to be recognized for who we are," said a student, Valencia. "Because every girl out here is different." Valencia has turned her life around because of Pace.

"Before I came to Pace, I was in a position where I wasn't even sure that I was going to graduate. And now I'm at a place where I can graduate early. So that's very much a blessing for me," Valencia shared. Valencia is one of hundreds of young women who have attended Pace. Its mission is to reach out to girls who are struggling, whether its drug abuse, failing grades or teen pregnancy.

"We work from a relationship based model, so we get to know our girls, we understand what their needs are, we understand what their challenges are, and then we put together interventions to directly address those needs," Davia Lerebours, Executive Director Pace said. And while many of the girls struggled in school before Pace, now they are flying high.

"We want to make sure that our girls have every opportunity, that they have the same access, the same opportunities as any other student in Hillsborough County," Lerebours explained. Lerebours, said it's important the girls have a bright future. "These are our future moms," said Lerebours. "It's important for us to provide the supports of interventions that they need so that they can be self-sufficient and successful."

Valencia plans to fulfill her dream of going to college. "Hopefully I can get into the college I would like to, FAMU and majoring in business," she said.

Pace has served more than 2,000 girls, and they are having a Journey to Success luncheon on Oct. 26. 

For more information about The Pace Center for Girls, click here.