PACE Center for Girls of Manatee celebrates girls' achievements

BRADENTON -- Leah Patten, who has a 7-year-old daughter and works as an urgent care nurse, is enrolled to earn another bachelor's degree and engaged to be married in January.

It's just the latest in a long line of challenges and accomplishments. She joined the military after high school graduation, earned a degree at the University of Tennessee and completed a certificate from Manatee Technical College.

She's not sure any of that would be possible without the PACE Center for Girls of Manatee. Patten entered the foster care system at the age of 5 and she was almost adopted but she "wasn't right." When she finally was adopted by a loving family at the age of 10, she still struggled with an earlier trauma.

She didn't fit into the high school setting and was ultimately expelled from Manatee High School. That's when her dad found PACE.

"They taught me how to succeed," said Patten, who is now 30 and still lives in Bradenton.

With the help of the watchful eyes at PACE, Patten learned to be aware of her actions and to take control of her decisions. She was able to rejoin Manatee High and graduate with the rest of her class because of PACE.

"Where would I have been if I hadn't had PACE?" Patten said. "PACE gave me a second chance."

The 2015 Believing in Girls luncheon, a first for the organization and a sold-out event, packed the ballroom at Rennaissance on 9th on Thursday. Attendees were able to hear from former PACE students, like Patten, and were able to engage with current PACE students that the center is working to help.

The event featured a spoken word performance from five current PACE students, who described their struggles and the stereotypes they face for attending PACE. But what floats to the top is the feeling of being valued while at PACE, the girls said.

PACE is a nonprofit that serves middle and high school girls who struggle to thrive in a traditional school environment. The school runs throughout the entire year and serves about 100 girls year round. The average age is 14, and the goal is to have students return to traditional public schools, although the center does award diplomas to students who complete their studies at PACE.

Most students who arrive at PACE are at least two years behind academically, said Amy Wick Mavis, the executive director who is celebrating 20 years at the organization. Some come with histories of violence or sexual exploitation and they often feel invisible. But they come voluntarily to a center for girls where hope "is not Pixie dust," Mavis said.

"We're a center for girls, but we don't paint our walls pink," she said.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 3:57 PM with the headline "PACE Center for Girls of Manatee celebrates girls' achievements ."