The PACE classrooms have now been up and running for almost 2 months and we are proud to say that things are going great! This school year we are proud to again be working in partnership with both Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) and students from Regis University.
The partnership with MHYC is being run similarly to in years past, allowing the PACE students and MHCY members to engage in educational activities for an hour a week. This unique opportunity allows the middle school PACE students to get a real look at the possible consequences if they do not modify their behavior positively. Some of the activities and games the students will partake in this year will include team building and life sharing. The activities are designed to be engaging and also to allow the students to express themselves and learn in different many ways.
This year the partnership with the Regis university students, will allow these pharmacy students to come into the PACE classroom and work with the PACE instructor teaching hands on health, science and nutrition lessons. These exciting activities and the mere presence of the Regis students in the PACE classrooms will be a breath of fresh air for the PACE students. The distinct backgrounds and experience that each of the Regis students offers the PACE classroom great creativity and allows the PACE students to participate in lessons and activities they would otherwise not get to participate in.
PACE is proud to be participating this winter in the Snowboard Outreach Society (http://www.sosoutreach.org/page/winter-1) program that takes underprivileged youth to the mountains to learn some core values and also how to snowboard. Both PACE classrooms will get to take 5 students that have shown great character, behavior and academic achievement for a full day’s activity including learning about self-respect, positive relationships, social skills, and positive values and culminating in snowboard lessons and some free time on the slopes. This great program will work as a positive form of motivation for some of the PACE students that will earn the right to participate in the program through achievement and hard work.
PACE West is pleased to be partnering with University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work as an internship site for first year student MacKenzie Andrews. As PACE’s intern, MacKenzie is in the classroom and working with the students Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Her experience as an Emergency Medical Technician and her previous work with high-risk youth add integral support to our students and their families. This year, MacKenzie will be focusing on developing our family wrap-around services, as well as leading classes and connecting with youth one-on-one. We are very excited to have her here!
