Pace Center for Girls, Inc. (Pace) encompasses a set of gender-responsive prevention and early intervention programs and services for girls with multiple risk factors for juvenile justice system involvement including academic failure, chronic truancy/dropping out of school, running away, trauma, substance abuse, family instability and conflict, and association with anti-social peer groups, among others. Founded in 1985 in response to an increasing rate of arrests among middle and high school-aged girls whose delinquent behavior was driven by underlying trauma and victimization, Pace uses a balanced, holistic approach to re-engage girls to learning, improvements in academic performance, while addressing the underlying trauma attributed to female delinquency.

      The Pace model provides a full academic school day and social service interventions in a safe, trauma-informed, gender responsive, and strength-based environment which reflects an understanding of the lives of girls and responds to their unique challenges. Since inception, Pace has served more than 40,000 girls at high risk for delinquency, ages 12 to 18, at non-residential Centers located in 22 counties across Florida,  one Center in Georgia, and one Reach program in South Carolina.

     Under the direction of Executive Director, Marianne Kearns, Pace Center for Girls, Collier at Immokalee serves 62 girls daily and is year-round.