Using their power to see beyond troublesome behavior, school counselors can help at-risk girls realize their potential.

BY NONA C. JONES

Today a baby girl will be born in a nearby hospital. When her brand-new eyes finally adjust to the bright lights and focus on the blurry images surrounding her, they will meet the loving gaze of her mother and father. Her parents will be awestruck by their daughter’s immediately evident brilliance, and they will instantly agree they will do anything to help her succeed.

REENG RE-ENGAGE

AT-RIS AT-RISK GIRLS

WWW.SCHOOLCOUNSELOR.ORG 27 In that same hospital, another new- But it doesn’t have to be this way. population, and despite the nation’s over- born baby girl will lay alone in the Within each of us lies a transformative all juvenile incarceration rate declining in nursery. Crying. Uncomforted. Her power that can change this girl’s life, the recent years, girls were 29 percent of the birth unplanned and her life unwanted. power to see beyond her behavior and national juvenile population by 2012. She will be the mistaken byproduct of believe in her potential. Although girls are the fastest-growing a young mother’s search for validation A groundbreaking report released in segment of the juvenile justice system with a guy who used her body for his own summer 2015 articulated a truth those of population, they account for a very small dysfunction. If her mother had one wish, us serving girls at risk have always known; share of juvenile arrests for violent crimes. it would be to never have had this baby. a girl’s pathway to school failure and delin- Girls continue to be far more likely than And she’s angry. quency is different than a boy’s pathway. A boys to be arrested for offenses such These two baby girls are equally vul- boy’s pathway, particularly a boy of color, as truancy, running away and underage nerable, but one will grow up cradled in a has long been defined as the school-to- drinking – acts that are often simply an protective home, and the other will learn prison pipeline. But the report leveraged attempt to escape trauma that even adults to fear the dark of night because the dark years of data showing a girl’s pathway to aren’t equipped to handle. Girls at great- is where her mother’s many boyfriends delinquency is best described as the sexual est risk for school failure and delinquency violate her. One girl will discover a zeal abuse-to-prison pipeline, because 80 per- need more than a one-hour-per-week visit for learning in a supportive school with cent of girls in our nation’s juvenile justice with a mentor; they need healing, hope encouraging teachers. The other will fall system report being victims of sexual vio- and deep interventions that prepare them behind in school because her anger and lence. That’s eight out of every 10. Coupled to succeed in school and in life by turning hopelessness leads to suspensions for act- with sexual abuse, system-involved girls their trauma into triumph. ing out. One girl will look out into the report experiencing physical abuse, pov- In 1985 a social worker at the Florida audience at graduation and see the famil- erty, family instability and school failure Department of Juvenile Justice noticed iar, loving gaze of her parents. The other at alarming rates. an increase in the number of middle- and will look out through prison bars and see In 1980, girls were 20 percent of high-school-aged girls who were being the familiar glare of her guards. the nation’s juvenile justice system arrested. She did something that should

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28 ASCA SCHOOL COUNSELOR | JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2017 system created the recognition that a new Florida and describes the PACE approach approach was needed to working with to trauma-informed academics this way: girls at greatest risk of system involve- “A trauma-informed approach begins It’s ultimately ment, an approach that addressed the with an understanding of trauma and an trauma while reengaging the girls in an awareness of the crippling impact it can about helping each educational environment that could pre- have on a girl’s life. Traumatized girls girl reclaim her pare them to graduate and chart a path often experience feelings of hopelessness, confidence and toward success in life. PACE Center for and processing their trauma is extremely self-worth, both Girls was born. difficult. PACE girls often describe their emotionally and PACE Center for Girls has spent the last deterioration in school as a feeling of fall- 31 years refining a program model that ing through the cracks and spiraling out academically. has positively changed the life trajectory of control.” for more than 39,000 girls across Florida. This is why PACE’s trauma-informed be common practice but too often is not. At the heart of our model is the funda- academic approach marries delivering She asked the girls “why?” “Why did you mental belief that all girls, regardless of the required reading, math, science and run away?” “Why do you keep skipping their circumstance, matter and deserve an history curriculum within the broader school?” “Why did you start that fight?” opportunity for a bright future. Although contextual goal of building a relationship The answers she received pointed to PACE is intentionally nonresidential, our with each girl that is based on her unique underlying trauma. “I ran away because family-oriented case management prac- story and not just based on what’s in her my dad rapes me when no one’s around.” tice ensures our girls return home to a cumulative folder. It’s ultimately about “I skip school because the kids tease me stable environment at the end of each helping each girl reclaim her confidence because I can’t read.” “I started the fight school day. and self-worth, both emotionally and because I need money to buy food, and Renee McQueen, Ed.D., PACE senior academically. she had it.” The realization that trauma director of social services programs, spent PACE served 2,224 girls in 2016 in was driving girls into the juvenile justice many years leading PACE Centers in our 19 nonresidential alternative schools

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WWW.SCHOOLCOUNSELOR.ORG 29 Endowed with her teacher’s faith in her, the girl focused on her schoolwork and excelled. She was placed on an acceler- ated academic track in middle and high school and entered college as a first-year sophomore on a full academic scholar- ship. The day she left for college she We never stop believing in our girls, and vowed two things: to make her third- we show up every day with the singular grade teacher proud and to never return to her mother’s home. She lived up to goal of helping them realize just how both of her promises, eventually earning worthy they are of our faith in them. a master’s degree, completing coursework at Harvard, becoming a corporate execu- tive at a Fortune 500 company at the age of 22 and living out her life’s purpose by encouraging and inspiring women and girls around the country who are survi- vors of childhood sexual abuse. I know this story so well because this story is my own. What we do at PACE across Florida. Of these girls, 74 percent father had wanted a child, but her mother every single day is what Ms. Johnson did came to us with a history of grade reten- suffered from mental health issues and, for me. We never stop believing in our tion, suspension or expulsion, and almost when the girl was born, her mother didn’t girls, and we show up every day with 30 percent had a prior arrest. But, after want to hold her or see her. The girl’s the singular goal of helping them realize completing our program, 90 percent of father was diagnosed with terminal cancer just how worthy they are of our faith in the girls were at grade level or ahead, and shortly before she was born and, although them. As school counselors, you stand 91 percent didn’t reoffend one year after he fought to see her second birthday, he in the gap for girls like me. You have the leaving. We accomplish this by integrat- passed away shortly before. A couple of power to change a girl’s mind about her- ing year-round academic support during years later the mother met a new man self, her pain and her future by believing the school day, with counseling and ther- who became her live-in boyfriend, and beyond her behavior. What shows up as apy and career and college exploration to he routinely molested the girl between defiance is nothing more than defen- meet each girl’s unique needs. We recog- the ages of 5 and 11. She told her mother siveness, defensiveness learned from a nize family dysfunction often drives girls’ what was happening, and her mother put girl having to defend her dignity. What behavior, so we employ family-based case the boyfriend in jail several times, but each shows up as apathy is nothing more management to ensure the girls return to time he was released, she would take him than hopelessness, hopelessness learned stable homes at the end of each day. The back. It was on one of their customary from a girl who has never been given a girls stay with us for an average of nine drives to pick him up from jail for molest- reason to hope. What shows up as anger months, and afterward they either return ing her that the girl finally decided to stop is nothing more than explosive hurt, to their home school or, if at graduation talking about it and, instead, no longer hurt that a girl has contained for so long age, they go on to college or attain gainful feel any pain. it has nowhere to go but out and at the employment. The girl began acting out in school and nearest person. was labeled a problem child. She spent As you consider the girls you work with Turning Lives Around most of her kindergarten, first and second who seem to be beyond your ability to So, what does this mean for you as a grade years in either the principal’s office reach, please remember that no human school counselor seeking to help trau- or isolated in a classroom corner. being is beyond repair. And every girl is matized girls turn their lives around? Until she met her third-grade teacher. worth trying to help. People often ask, “What’s the secret Her third-grade teacher saw beyond her sauce?” What makes PACE so effective? behavior and recognized her potential. Nona C. Jones is chief external affairs With more than 39,000 success stories That teacher lovingly encouraged the girl officer for PACE Center for Girls Inc. at PACE, I believe the mechanics of our and convinced her that she was smart and She is secretary of the Florida Juvenile approach are best related through a true capable. The teacher didn’t know what Justice Association Board of Directors story and, as you consider the important was happening to the girl at home, but and a member of the Georgia Statewide work you do every day, I ask you to hold she knew something was happening and Human Trafficking Task Force. She can this story near to your heart. decided to give the girl her time, attention be reached at nona.jones@pacecenter. A girl was born to parents who didn’t and concern. It transformed the young org. To learn more about the PACE have a high school diploma. The girl’s girl’s life dramatically. Center, visit www.pacecenter.org.

30 ASCA SCHOOL COUNSELOR | JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2017