“Don’t worry. They will pass. I will pass them,” the teacher spoke with authority, then stood, signaling the meeting’s conclusion. 

Gaby remained seated, processing new information; two teens in her care were failing their classes but would pass, whether they earned it or not. She opened her mouth to say more, then closed it, walking out in disbelief. “I left feeling sad and angry; these students weren’t receiving what they deserved educationally,” shared Gaby. “I knew something had to be done, I just didn’t know where to begin.” 

Hours later, Gaby Nieto, Back2Back staff, sat with social workers and the site Director, Gabo Valasco, sharing what transpired at the school. They concluded that removing the girls from the school was the most logical solution. However, it created a new problem – where would they go with grades so low?  

“Leaving them in a school unfocused on their improvement and unconcerned with future trajectories isn’t something I can get behind,” Gaby told Gabo.

His response shocked her; “What about starting our own school?”

This question launched a season of research and planning. Gaby found a “home school” in a town 12 hours from Mazatlán and traveled to observe, ask questions, and learn. While she visited, she attended a conference on Christian curriculum and felt the Lord’s leading. This is what He was walking them toward.

Gaby returned to Mazatlán with a plan and renewed vigor to create learning and healing spaces. One month later, in August 2018, Gaby and three teachers opened Mexico’s first trauma-informed school, Pacific Christian Academy (PCA), with nine students. At its conception, PCA was focused on Hope Education program teens, as it was inspired by two young ladies in need of advocacy. 

“In the beginning stages, it felt rocky,” shared Gaby, who now leads as Principal of PCA. “We had minimal resources and a small teaching team. We knew from the start to have safe, loving spaces for the students, we had to create and implement trauma-informed classrooms.”

“We were learning together; none of us had ever experienced trauma-informed classrooms,” explained Gaby. “There were no other Back2Back sites to look to, and we didn’t want to emulate local schools as, in some cases, they caused more harm than good for students. We were pioneering a vision and prayerful it would be seen to fruition. And we did it one step, mistake, and debriefing at a time.”

Today, Pacific Christian Academy has 30 students from primary grades to senior year; led by six different trauma-informed teachers. Every day, they show up holding space for children from difficult backgrounds.

“Often, when we meet our students, their belief systems are affected by lies,” shared Gaby. “If students feel unsafe, they cannot learn and struggle to retain information.” 

Recently, a young boy started attending PCA, and it quickly became clear his learning was hindered due to trauma. Pepe was a bright bundle of energy at eight years old, but following evaluation, staff quickly realized his skillset was that of a Kindergartener. A difficult home life, coupled with negligence, made reading, writing, and coloring beyond his capabilities. He struggled to recognize letters and their sounds, struggled with social skills, used bad words in the classroom, and often sought attention from older children and adults in difficult ways.

Pepe has since received daily personalized classes, focusing on his reading, mathematics, and writing skills. Once he had a plan tailored to his needs, and his teachers better understood the environments from which he came, Pepe’s natural intelligence emerged. In just six months, he now reads, writes, and works independently and on grade level. He respects his classmates and teachers, and through trauma-informed care and gentle reminders, his vocabulary and behavior has drastically modified. He is now a happy and fully integrated member of his classroom. After proving his own abilities in the right environment, Pepe is set to move to the third grade next year, back in classrooms with children his age and the ability to learn and grow alongside his peers.

Gaby and her team believe school should be the second safest space for children, after their home. They believe teachers are key to them feeling loved and important.

“We want every student to continue their education after graduating PCA, and to leave understanding I’m loved, seen, and known.” PCA’s staff recognizes they bring much more than lessons to their students, as trauma-informed and spiritually-minded adults. 

Today, six years later, Back2Back has opened three additional trauma-informed schools in Cancun, India, and Nigeria. Together, across cultures, language barriers, and countries we are working to provide one clear message: every child has a right to education and to heal, and we will lead the way there for both.