Shelby's Story
Shelby Reed came to Pace in 2013 as a junior in high school. She struggled with body image issues, regularly engaged in risky behaviors and had frequent panic attacks. Shelby transitioned from Pace almost exactly a year later; she has maintained a 3.5+ GPA, is student body president, and will likely be valedictorian at PIVOT. She has received a scholarship to attend Hodges University where she wants to pursue a degree in paralegal studies with the hope of attending law school.
Says Shelby: “Pace has made me into a better me. The impact that my fellow Pace sisters and Pace staff have had on me is hard to put into words. My life has been forever changed by my time spent at the Pace Center for Girls. When I first started at Pace I was the girl that was hiding a lot, I did not have a very pleasant past. I had stopped dreaming. I didn’t believe I was going to become anything. I felt I didn’t fit in anywhere. I also felt at the time that no one cared about me… I remember thinking “how can an all-girls school change these things?” It didn’t happen overnight, but eventually the changes took root. I learned to cope with my past through the help of my counselor. I learned from different staff members that our past doesn’t define who we become; my past motivated me to be something different. Every staff member pushed me to be my best.
At times I was ready to give up but they would never let me. Every step of the way I knew that I had someone behind me, and I still do today even after transitioning. I began to believe in things again. I felt I finally found a place that I fit in. Pace became a home to me, and I began to think about myself differently. Pace changed me into this girl with dreams, morals, values, and beliefs. Sometimes describing how something has impacted you can be very difficult. It seems that no words are ever good enough. I encourage you to visit Pace, to see if for yourself.”
