Category: Uncategorized

By: Synclair

I am proudly gifted, African American, and learning to embrace being a plus-sized young woman. I am Synclair. An actress in my school’s theatre club, a National Honor Society student, a track manager with dreams of becoming a marine biologist. I defy singular definitions and embrace the rich complexity of who I am. Many adults throw around the term multifaceted, but I’m here to define what it means for me as a 16-year-old young woman growing up in today’s world.

In elementary school, there were times I was bullied by my classmates for being gifted and my mental health quickly declined leading up to middle school. It’s no secret that middle school is a particularly challenging time for girls, but now as a 16-year-old young woman with college on the horizon, I find myself wondering why it took three school counselors for me to finally get the support I needed. At one point, I was even turning to social media to self-diagnose myself.

The challenges facing girls today are difficult and demanding, often setting us on uphill battles from the moment we wake up. My mom, recognizing the unique hurdles I faced, understood that culturally competent therapy was imperative. Her advocacy for diversity in therapy was instrumental, and without her I might be facing a different future. She understood that effective therapy requires therapists familiar with diverse traditions, histories, beliefs, and languages.

When individuals don’t see themselves reflected in the spaces meant to support them, they may feel excluded or believe those spaces aren’t intended for them. That’s when we finally found Dabree Amrine-Jones (Mrs. Bree), a therapist provided through an organization called Pace Center for Girls (Pace), where I not only learned coping mechanisms but also cultivated self-love.

What stood out to me the most was Mrs. Bree not only looked like me, but she was trained in trauma-informed and gender-responsive therapy. Because there were so few examples of people who looked like me in pop culture, I distinctly remember the joy and validation that emerged when I found a counselor that looked like me. She understood that the way that girls learn and develop is unique, and trauma can alter the course of a girl’s life. While the youth mental health crisis touches every corner of society, it disproportionately impacts girls. I finally found a therapist that honed in on what it means to be a multifaceted girl in today’s world.

But let’s not congratulate ourselves prematurely. Many schools lack the resources and trained professionals to effectively address mental health, particularly specializing in therapy for girls. And when schools close their doors for summer, countless teenagers like me are left adrift, their struggles unaddressed in the absence of school counselors and therapists. Routine and access to support are lifelines for many of us, and without them, our mental health journey becomes significantly more challenging.

My journey is just one among many. As I set my sights on Hawaii Pacific University or North Carolina A&T, I carry with me the lessons of self-love learned through Mrs. Bree. I am raising my voice proudly for more institutions to provide trauma-informed, year-round mental health support for girls that doesn’t falter when the school bell stops ringing.

At Pace Center for Girls, we celebrate all our girls’ successes as they look towards the future! College Signing Day celebrated on May 1, is a monumental occasion, marked by a commitment to inspire students to reach higher. This initiative, presented by Better Make Room, celebrates all students who have made the decision to pursue an education past high school, whether at a professional training program, the military, a community college, or a four-year college or university. 

Reflecting on her journey, Alexis emphasizes the pivotal role that Pace played in her academic and personal growth. With her sights set on studying psychology at Santa Fe College and later Florida A&M University, Alexis epitomizes determination and aspiration. “Every girl deserves to be respected and heard,” she shared.  

At Pace, Alexis found not only academic support but also the encouragement and guidance she needed to navigate the college application process. With the assistance of her dedicated counselor, Alexis successfully completed her college applications—a milestone that holds special significance as she will be the first person in her family to attend college.  

“I want to be a therapist because I want to be that person that can help kids. Before I came to Pace, I didn’t have a counselor who helped me. My cousin Ashley encouraged me to attend Pace, and it turns out that Pace has become my safe space,” reflected Alexis. “Because I’ve went through so much in my life, I feel like I will be able to relate and better understand the challenges that girls go through.” 

Of her many accolades, Alexis is proud to be the Girls Leadership Council President at her center. In celebrating Alexis’s achievements, we honor not only her individual success but also the collective efforts of educators, mentors, and advocates who are dedicated to empowering young women to reach their full potential.  

Alexis is the recipient of a college scholarship provided on behalf of State Farm. Pace is grateful for State Farm’s support to support career and college preparation for our girls.

Navigating Hours Long Commute to Achieve Success at Pace

For Shea and Precious, sisters and students at Pace Orange, the road to success has never been an easy one. The sisters go through incredible lengths just to get to Pace, but they choose to show up every single day for a better future.

Navigating buses and trains, they begin their long commute to Pace Orange at 5:00 am, traveling up to four hours every weekday to get from Deland, Florida to Winter Park, Florida.

For Shea and Precious, Pace’s holistic mental health support is what sets the programming apart from other schools. “I come to Pace because I’m able to share my feelings and get good feedback that will help me in the future. I went to three different elementary schools during our transition to moving in with our aunt and there were counselors but I didn’t have the same connection. At Pace, I’m actually able to share my feelings,” said Precious.

As the older sister, Shea feels a profound responsibility to be a role model for her younger siblings. She shared, “My siblings motivate me. I’m trying to be a role model for my younger siblings since our dad passed. I keep going and wake up every morning, not only for myself but for them.”

Shea’s experience at Pace has allowed her to open up and learn to rely on others. She candidly shared, “I’m still trying to get used to asking for help, because, after so many years of caring for my younger brother and sister, it’s kind of hard to get out of those ways — but I’m making progress slowly.”

For Precious, Shea is not just an older sister but also a source of inspiration. She explained, “My older sister motivates me because she has taken care of me my whole life. When my parents weren’t around, my sister was always there for me.”

When Shea and Precious think about their future, they see opportunities to inspire others through their creative talents. Music had always held a special place in Shea’s heart, and she believes in its power to save lives. She said, “I want to be that one person that can make a song or just a piece of music that inspires somebody else to keep going.”

Precious has a deep love for art, a form of expression that allows her to convey her feelings when words fail her. She sees art as a tool for storytelling, and her dream is to become a designer and start a fitness clothing brand.

Shea and Precious’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education and holistic mental health support. With their creative talents and unbreakable bond, Shea and Precious are not only forging their own paths to success but also lighting the way for others to follow

A Conversation with Anita Crumbacker, Pace Class of 1985

In 1985, Pace Center for Girls, then called Practical and Cultural Education, was a new organization looking to help girls in the juvenile justice system by giving them an education and a new outlook on life.

“I didn’t want to go to school. I wanted to be like every other young person that I was around. I wanted to be free, do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it,” shared Anita Crumbacker, who had run away from home after being kicked out of high school during her junior year.

Anita eventually ended up in a detention center and the judge gave her two options: stay in the detention center until she was 18 or go back to school. That was when Pace came to interview her for the first time.

With only 10 slots to fill in the original Pace class, Anita met Vicki Burke, Pace’s founder, who explained to her the new Pace model, offering her a high school diploma and an opportunity for a better future. Vicki was a passionate young social worker who saw the inequities in the treatment of girls by the juvenile justice system and had the courage to bring about change.

Anita started her senior year at Pace with Vicki, three teachers, and nine other girls. They met in an upstairs classroom at the Snyder Memorial Methodist Church in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Pace’s vision was to ensure that their futures were bright, the obstacles they were facing were addressed, and their needs were taken care of.

“I thank Vicki for believing in us. She saw a vision that nobody else saw, and she has helped so many young ladies,” shared Anita.

With only two weeks left before graduating, Pace helped Anita land her first job as a mail opener at Illinois State Scholarship Commission. She would eventually become a business analyst at the same company, working there for the next 16 years. Later, she worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield and Jones College where she had the opportunity to go back to school and obtain her bachelor’s degree in business.

“In the back of my mind, I always wanted to go back to Pace, to give back what was given to me,” she said.

I thank Vicki for believing in us. She saw a vision that nobody else saw, and she has helped so many young ladies.

In 2021, Anita joined the Pace Jacksonville team as a resource coordinator. The Pace she now knows looks very different from the one she had attended, with 21 centers in Florida as well as serving communities and school districts in Georgia and South Carolina. But the core values and principles that Pace was founded on remain the same.

Anita is inspired to show Pace girls, many who come from backgrounds similar to her own, that a career and a future beyond the obstacles they have faced are possible.

“There’s nothing more powerful than when I see a girl come into Pace that has had her back against the wall and then I look up and she’s back in school, or in law school, or trying to become a nurse or have a career that’s going to help someone else.”

Anita is still in close contact with three former students, including her best friend Erin and two staff members of the original group at Pace back in 1985. “From ‘85 to today, Pace has been a testimony to every girl that there is a future and hope,” Anita concluded.

At Pace Center for Girls, we are unwavering in our commitment to providing girls with the support and opportunities they need to succeed. We understand that representation matters, and it goes beyond being a catchphrase; it’s a fundamental principle that shapes aspirations and self-belief. Pace Clay’s recent visit by Sheriff Michelle Cook and her female peers in law enforcement underscored the significance of representation and the transformative impact it can have on our girls.

As the only female sheriff in the state of Florida, Sheriff Michelle Cook shattered gender norms, paving the way for future generations of women in law enforcement. Her presence and her willingness to share her journey resonated deeply with the 40 Pace Clay girls in attendance at the event. Particularly, Gia, 16, a junior at Pace, hopes to become a detective in the future.

Gia’s fascination with solving mysteries has been a lifelong passion. She recalls a childhood experience where she and her friend created a fictional mystery case, igniting her interest in solving real-life mysteries.

Gia is determined to turn her dream into reality. She is an active participant in the Explorers Program with the Clay County Police Department, gaining valuable experience and opportunities to work her way up in law enforcement. Following high school graduation, she intends to attend a community college to earn a degree in criminal justice, further enhancing her qualifications.

Gia’s advice to girls like her aspiring to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields is both simple and profound: “Follow your dreams. If you really think you can do it, then you should just try, because if you don’t try, you’ll never know if you can do it or not.”

Gia’s story highlights the critical importance of encouraging more representation in all fields, especially those where women and girls have been historically underrepresented. When girls can see themselves in diverse roles and positions of authority, it broadens their horizons and empowers them to believe in their potential.

At Pace, our vocational and education program is designed to empower at-promise girls in every way possible. We equip them with the tools needed not only to earn their high school diploma or GED but also to develop long-term employability skills. Beyond that, we actively support their pursuit of higher education, whether that means entering a professional training program, joining the military, attending a community college, or enrolling in a four-year university.