Staff Reports
Pace Center for Girls, celebrating its 40th anniversary, will host its annual Pace Day at the Capitol Wednesday.
Founded in Jacksonville in 1985, Pace is dedicated to equipping at-risk girls with the education and social services they need to overcome challenges and be successful when they enter adulthood. Today, Pace operates in more than two dozen communities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina
More than 100 Pace girls from across Florida will participate in the event, engaging directly with members of the Legislature and other elected officials.
Pace Day provides a platform for the girls to share the impactful outcomes of Pace’s education, counseling, training and advocacy model.
The event will feature policy discussions, advocacy training and hands-on legislative experiences, including a keynote address from Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall.
And a Women in Politics panel will feature Pace Board of Trustees members, including Chair Marva Johnson, Stephanie Smith, former Sen. Anitere Flores, Brittany Perkins Castillo, and Kathy Mears, the Chief of Staff to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. Tracy Mayernick will moderate the panel.
Over the past 40 years, Pace’s work has significantly impacted more than 40,000 girls, contributing to a substantial decrease in girls referred to Florida’s juvenile justice system, with 8 out of 10 Pace girls achieving high school graduation, pursuing higher education or securing employment.
