Stories

Oct

Celebrating International Day of the Girl

Posted on: October 10, 2022

Pace Center for Girls joins the United Nations and global communities in commemorating the 10th Anniversary of International Day of the Girl, celebrated annually on October 11.

Pace has focused attention on the need to address the global challenges girls face and led the charge on women’s empowerment since 1985, with more than 40,000 girls and 23 communities served to date. Yet, the need for communities to unite in support of girls and young women with a common vision of a just and equitable society remains prevalent.

As part of the Community Solutions program, Pace is hosting Thinley Wangmo Lama, a fellow from Nepal. Read a message from Thinley in honor of International Day of the Girl:

Dreaming Big Through Humble Beginnings

Guest author: Thinley Wangmo Lama, CSP Fellow 2022

My family belongs to Limi Valley, a remote village in the northwestern part of Nepal bordering the Tibetan Autonomous Region. My grandparents lived a nomadic life and were sheep and yak herders. My father, being the eldest son, took the responsibility to offer us a better life. And he struggled hard to educate us and finally moved the entire family to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. I was born in Limi Valley and moved to the city when I was 4 years old.

I feel blessed to have received an education and a better life because many women of my age group in Limi Valley are still unable to read and write as well as struggling with the village lifestyle. Now, I have reached a stage in life where I can financially support my family and help with my community development. I treasure my humble beginnings and always live my life filled with gratitude.

My experiences have shaped me into who I am today. I am a visionary person and have a sense of responsibility to give back to the community.

I would describe myself in three words: ambitious, hardworking, and compassionate.

➔ Ambition: My ambition has led me to apply for the Community Solutions Program (CSP), sponsored by the US Department of State and implemented by IREX, through which I got the opportunity to come to the U.S and work with Pace Center for Girls for 4 months. Thus, I am getting the opportunity to learn about the administrative and functional areas of a non-profit organization as I plan to start my own for underprivileged women in Nepal.

➔ Hard work: I believe working hard is the key to success. We are all given a certain amount of opportunity in our lives, whether it is big or small — your willpower and hard work will determine the end goal. I have faith in myself that my hard work will help me achieve my dreams.

➔ Compassion: If you ask my friends, family, and colleagues to describe me as a person, most of them would draw me as a compassionate and kind person. I also believe the same because helping others gives me the most sense of satisfaction compared to everything else, I do in my life. This is the reason behind my initiative to offer education to the women in my village and take part in social welfare activities. Currently, less than 10% of the female population is literate in Limi Valley. My goal is to reach an 80% female literacy rate in the next 5 years.

Thinley Wangmo Lama with women from her village — Thinley Wangmo Lama with women participating in her female literacy program.

I am a strong believer in lifelong learning and have faith that everyone is capable of growth and change if given the opportunity. But my life has not always been like this. All of us face different challenges and we struggle to overcome them.

In my case,

Until high school, I used to lack confidence and did not believe in myself.

In college, I struggled with relationships and faced many conflicts which led to losing close friends.

Until now, I am learning how to become an effective communicator and a good public speaker.

Have I overcome all my shortcomings? No, but it is a work in progress. Over time, I have realized that life is about learning at every stage and embracing the changes. Hence, I admire and try to live by the quote “this too shall pass.” I hope welcoming this quote into your lives makes a difference.

I am grateful to be part of this program where I can sharpen my skills, embrace growth and change and focus on my strengths. I am fortunate to be part of Pace Center for Girls vision where all girls and young women have Power, in a Just and Equitable society. This vision will reach more women in Nepal through my learnings at Pace.

Thus, I would like to conclude, by wishing you all “Happy International Day of the Girl.”

Aug

If She Can See it, She Can Be It: Pace Girl Reflects on First Female Aerial Demonstration Pilot in the Blue Angels

Posted on: August 10, 2022

Stories

Women have written themselves into history over the past few months — making history at the Oscars, in Jeopardy, the Supreme Court, Federal Government and more. Most recently, for the first time in its 76-year history, the Navy’s famed Blue Angels aerial demonstration team will feature a female F-18 pilot, Lt. Amanda Lee.

We sat down with Libby, a senior at Pace Escambia-Santa Rosa, who shared her own personal aspirations to join the Air Force and reflected on Lt. Amanda Lee’s footprint in history:

“It was time for a female to get into the Blue Angels demonstration team. There are more ladies doing things that statistics say men should do. We are saying, no, I can do just as much as you can.”

Libby’s wise words reflect the growth she has experienced during her time at Pace. In previous school settings, Libby struggled with behavioral issues. It wasn’t until Pace that she found her footing and reclaimed her power.

“Pace showed me the leader that I can be. My grades have improved and I’m on track to graduate,” shared Libby.

Libby’s desire to join the Air Force stemmed from her experience at Chappie James Flight Academy where she had the opportunity to try a flight simulator and fly in an airplane. “The Air Force will keep me on a good path for my career,” she shared.

Pace Escambia Rosa recently hosted a military career readiness session that further fostered her desire to join the armed forces. Pace’s holistic model involves mentoring, life-skills coaching and supporting girls in exploring career and college readiness.

“As part of our transitional planning services, we recently invited women from all four branches of the military to speak to our girls,” shared Ashley Donahoo, Transition Service Specialist at Pace Escambia-Santa Rosa. “It was an empowering moment for our girls, to see all women and hear how the military positively shaped their lives.”

When Pace girls begin to realize their inherent power, they discover a path to take charge of their own stories and futures. Looking ahead to the future, Libby shared, “Ten years from now, I still see myself in the military. I will strive for a leadership position, because I know I can be a great leader.”

Pace envisions a world where all girls and young women have POWER, in a JUST and EQUITABLE society. The number of women in the Air Force and the Navy is nearly five times greater today than it was in the 1970s, while female Army recruits have tripled during the same period. As Women’s Equality Day approaches, we commemorate and celebrate women’s achievements.

May

Creating a Culture of Health and Well-Being

Posted on: May 26, 2022

Staff and Culture

Pace Center for Girls is a proud recipient of the Healthiest Companies Platinum Award presented by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council. The award recognizes Pace’s dedication to creating a culture of health and well-being.

“Our staff cannot care for our girls unless we care for them first,” shared Yessica Cancel, Chief Operating Officer at Pace. “Our focus on health and wellness represents an investment in our staff that goes beyond their time at work.”

Pace’s leadership team is committed to investing in resources that support team members holistically. In addition to PTO benefits, team members receive a week off for wellness annually. This year an added benefit at no cost to team members is Modern Health, a mental well-being platform offering therapy, coaching, and self-guided courses all in one app.

“Pace does an amazing job of assisting in well-being so we can fill our cups,” shared Lena Neal, Academic Manager at Pace Manatee. “We need to be our best selves for our girls and to do that we need to care for ourselves.”

Company-wide actions and care, described as Pace Fit Wellness Challenges and Incentives, are designed to reset, refresh, and reinforce team members’ minds and spirits. To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked team members what mental health means to them.

“I practice mental health and well-being by reading and spending time with my favorite people. I walk every day; it helps me clear my head and unwind,” shared Barbra Burt, Contracts Analyst at Pace.

Looking for a few easy habits to help build your mental strength and resilience? Find a series of personalized meditation tools developed and narrated by Naomi Osaka, made available for free by our friends at Modern Health.

*Pace Jacksonville Team Members at Open House Event. Photo: Tammi McGriff*

May

Looking Forward: Pace Girls Share Their Aspirations for the Future

Posted on: May 5, 2022

Stories

At Pace, we celebrate all our girls’ successes as they look towards the future! College Signing Day is celebrated on May 7, an initiative presented by Better Make Room that aims to inspire students to reach higher. This day celebrates all students committed to pursuing an education past high school, whether at a professional training program, the military, a community college or a four-year college or university.

We sat down with three Pace girls who shared their interests and aspirations for the future:

“Coming to Pace really helped me. I learned that if the people around you aren’t helping you grow, they shouldn’t be in your life,” said Karimah from Pace Palm Beach. “After Pace, I want to go to college. I like psychology and criminology a lot. I like thinking about what people think, and why they’re thinking it. I also love writing — it’s so fun to me. If I could do anything in the world without any constraints, I would be a writer. I’m not sure career-wise, but there are so many opportunities.”

Quinn from Pace Escambia-Santa Rosa shared: “My passion is music, music theory, and teaching others what’s fun about music. My love of music came from my dad. He had a little area in our house where he had all his instruments. He taught me to play so many things on the guitar, and really finding how much I loved it came from him.

Before Pace, I didn’t accept help for a long time. I was in denial. Finally, I decided to go into a GED program, and I graduated with really good scores in about a month. I’m focused on [applying to] Pensacola State College because my dad’s old music teacher is still there. I want to learn under him and eventually teach students music theory.”

Idali, also from Pace Palm Beach, explained: “After Pace, I want to go to college. Currently, I work at Starbucks, and they have this program where they pay for tuition for Arizona State online. I want to take advantage of free college. I want to learn something in psychology or sociology. Growing up, I watched a lot of shows on law enforcement, which gave me a passion to be a profiler and to study how humans think and behave. I’m interested in joining law enforcement, and that’s my dream.”

Since 1985, Pace has supported more than 40,000 girls with our personalized approach, empowering girls to reach their highest potential and showing them that a life of love, success and happiness is possible. At Pace, seven out of 10 teen girls graduate from high school, pursue higher education or secure employment, and nine out of 10 have experienced overall academic improvement.

Learn more about Pace’s academic progra ms.

May

Celebrating Pace Team Members During Teacher Appreciation Week

Posted on: May 4, 2022

Staff and Culture

“I really appreciate Ms. Kathy. She played a big role in me graduating. She was the one that contacted my old school to set me up right. She’s been there every step of the way. I can’t thank her enough. She’s number one. She’s my rock.” — Tyra from Pace Polk

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.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, join us in celebrating the hundreds of teachers who inspire confidence, ignite imagination and instill a love of learning in our girls.

Four Pace girls shared their appreciation for their favorite teachers:

“One of the main supporters I’ve had at Pace is Mr. Walter,” shared Quinn from Pace Escambia-Santa Rosa. “Mr. Walter was the first person I told when I passed the GED test. He’s like a dad to me, since I didn’t have one growing up. He’s pushed me to be my best, and he really showed me how proud he is of me — that I am finding myself and finding what I love doing.”

Idali and Karimah both shared gratitude for Mr. Christie, a history teacher and academic advisor at Pace Palm Beach.

“Mr. Christie has so much faith in me. He always makes sure that everyone feels safe in the classroom — that’s his priority,” said Idali. “I came to Pace because I was doing really bad at academics. My grades were really low because I was skipping classes and didn’t care about my classes. As soon as I came to Pace, they’ve helped me a lot. I’m on track to graduate next year.”

“Mr. Christie is the best. He’s a history teacher, and he’s always giving us the most valuable information,” added Karimah. “He’s like an encyclopedia — he knows so much. I’ve learned so much about the world and the state it’s in right now, and I’m so grateful to him.”

Every day, our team of counselors, therapists and educators advocate for our girls’ physical and mental health and help them thrive and grow, creating brighter futures for all. Since 1985, more than 40,000 teen girls and young women have had the opportunity to achieve their own success, leading to positive outcomes for themselves, their families and communities.

Join us in celebrating all team members for their continued commitment to create strong girls and strong communities.

Get involved with Pace and check out our current open positions!