I am a grade 12 student at Wallaceburg District Secondary School currently involved in the PACE program. I have been involved in this program for four years now and I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about it and the workers that run the program, and now I need your help to save this program.
PACE is a program that supports Grades 9 through 12, who are facing difficulties, that may affect their success.
Assessments are completed to determine the needs of the students and appropriate intervention strategies are implemented. Frequent contact is made with each student to monitor their attendance and success.
Also, frequent contact with parents/ guardians is a very important part of the program.
There are many services offered in the program, such as: crisis intervention, short term counseling, behavioral modification, cognitive restructuring, support academic redirection, conflict resolution, life skills teaching, referrals and follow ups, advocacy/mediation, and needs assessment.
There are a lot of benefits that come out of joining and being apart of the PACE program, if they think that you need further help with anything that might be bothering you or affecting your well being and success, then they will have it right at your finger tips.
The types of referrals that are offered consists of: counseling services, addiction services, social services, diversion programs, native support services, treatment centers, health care professionals, and mental health services.
Cherrie Lalonde and Ken O’Neil are both counselors in the program. I have never met anyone more helpful and efficient in my life than these two people.
When I joined the PACE program Cherrie and Ken made sure that I felt comfortable enough to talk to them and they worked around my needs and discomforts. I was never put into a situation that I felt like I couldn’t trust them or like I was being judged. I was also never put into a situation were I felt like I was forced to talk to them or anyone that I didn’t want to. They waited for me to come to them and that’s one of the things about this program that helped me a lot as well.
I am not the type of person that likes to open up about myself and let people into my life that easily. I came into the PACE program with problems surrounding me that I didn’t know how to even put into words rather than fix or ask for help with. I’ve since then changed a lot and feel a lot better about myself and about my success.
Over the years I have met several other students in this program who are now like family to me.
When you are surrounded in an environment like PACE you meet people that feel the same ways you do and that are also struggling with things themselves. You don’t feel out of place or judged when you’re in the PACE room.
High school can be tough for many students, and not only with bullying, but with other things such as addictions, family problems, friend problems, behavioral problems, you may feel as if you don’t fit in. Everyone has there own groups of friends that they feel comfortable around, I didn’t have that when I wasn’t involved in PACE.
The friends that I have meant in this program are all so unique in their own ways and I watch everyday how they are improving and bettering themselves with the help of Cherrie and Ken.
I am so proud of many of the students in this program that have been fighting and improving every single day. I am also so thankful for Ken and Cherrie because I have came close to losing friends to suicide, seeing self harm, and I have also witnessed many of my friends be on the urge of dropping out and giving up.
Without the help of Cherrie and Ken I have absolutely no idea where I would be today or where some of my friends would be today. The PACE program has blessed me in a lot of different ways, the have blessed me with help, and they have also blessed me with what feels like a home away from home. Somewhere that I can go at school where I feel comfortable and accepted.
We are a family here in the PACE program and we stick together.
It has recently came to our attention that PACE will be closing by January 31, due to lack of funding.
To keep the program running we need around $70,000.
There are approximately 50 to 60 students that are involved in this program and mostly every single one of those students will be lost without PACE at our school.
Since PACE has opened in our high school back in 2006, there have been less suicides, dropouts, and suspensions.
Attendance has also improved and every year PACE finds a way to help several students.
Without PACE, the chances of everything falling apart for many students again is very high, including myself and my friends.
I refuse to let that happen, I’m hoping by me sharing my experience from being part of the PACE program it shows how important this program is and how desperately we need to save this program.
Every dollar counts in our eyes.
Emma Houle
WDSS student, Wallaceburg
