Grace Place School: Staying in School

In a single month in Broward County, Florida, 60 children were identified as human trafficking victims. In that same county, Grace Place School works to prevent trafficking and exploitation, providing alternative education, job and life skills training, and business entrepreneurship for at-risk youth.  

As the school year comes to a close, Unseen wants to celebrate some good news from Grace Place School.

Graduation is fast approaching for Grace Place's students. One student, Dani, will receive her high school diploma! Congratulations, Dani! You’ve worked hard and should be incredibly proud of that accomplishment. Following in Dani’s footsteps, nine other students will move up to the next grade level.

Attendance at Grace Place has been consistently high, with a 95% attendance rate. This is a significant accomplishment, given that many of the students had little to zero attendance in previous educational settings. Some students were even disappointed that the school took a spring break because they want to continue attending classes.

Grace Place has an important goal of preparing their teens for employment, and they have made significant progress in this area. Currently, three students work at local food establishments. One of the student workers has even been promoted to the position of weekend morning manager. Another student is self-employed, providing yard maintenance, lawn cutting services, dog training, and participating in dog show competitions. 

Several students at Grace Place have received scholarships through the Step Up for Students Scholarship program, allowing them to pursue their academic goals.

The school is now planning its summer job readiness and business development classes and has the capacity to increase from three to four classes, serving up to 32 students. But with increased capacity comes increased need. Grace Place hopes to hire additional staff and raise enough scholarships to accommodate all 32 students.

Learn more about Grace Place’s mission to free South Florida’s youth from sex trafficking and other destructive lifestyles