Shannon: Finding Her Voice

Shannon Pace may not be a student from Communities In Schools^® (CIS^®), but she certainly felt like one this past graduation season. Shannon is a CIS Facilitator from McDowell County and recently graduated from Liberty University. 

Growing up in an abusive home, Shannon suffered from severe trauma that took years of therapy to overcome. From her experience, Shannon felt the only way she could feel valued in her life was by helping others.

In 2019, Shannon got a job with CIS at her sons’ school. While at first, she knew nothing about CIS, she quickly fell in love with CIS’s mission. “I found a place that not only wanted to protect kids like me but also help them see their value and worth and potential.”

Shannon decided to go back to school to get her degree in social work because of her students. This past month, Shannon walked across the stage while cheered on by 223 of her students and her CIS family who encouraged her on every step of the journey. “Some days I didn’t think I would make it. I wanted to give up. But my students and CIS staff kept me going.”

Shannon says, “I hope [CIS] knows the impact you have isn’t just on the kids. It’s on your facilitators too. This organization helped me find my calling and find my voice. It helped me find who God was calling me to be. I’m forever grateful he led me to CIS 3 years ago. I would never have made it this far without my students. Now I’m proud to say, ‘I’m Shannon Pace, BSW, and I’m forever #AllinforKids.’”