Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1184230
7 2 M A C O N M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 9 Girl Power, ST E M-St yle Real I.M.P.A.C.T. Center breaks barriers BY TRACI BURNS "IF YOU WANT A STRONGER COMMUNIT Y, INVEST IN A GIRL," said Real I.M.P.A.C.T. Center's founder and executive director Geneva West. "Girls break barriers. We become mothers; we influence the masses." Real I.M.P.A.C.T. (Intelligent and Motivated People Actively Changing the Times) began in 2013 as a way for West to maximize the quality time she spent with her two young daughters. A busy single mom with a full-time job, West wanted "to be intentional about who my girls were around and what they were exposed to." Her marketing/business background led her to the staggering discovery that less than 25 percent of women make their living in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. Her next move? Creating an empowering space where girls could be educated in STEM-related topics while also learning life skills and socializing. Twelve girls showed up for the first summer camp, which West ran mostly solo. e girls built computer apps, learned financial literacy, worked on math and ways to make it less intimidating and tried their hands at robotics. Seven years later, Real I.M.P.A.C.T. – still helmed by West, now with assistance from a team of local volunteers, partners and sponsors – offers programs year-round and has served more than 1,800 girls in Middle Georgia. " ey're seeking leadership and guidance, and to be able to provide that really moves my heart." -GENEVA WEST "e need was obviously here," said West. "ere are girls walking around silently needing a mentor, needing help, having questions, but nobody makes them feel comfortable enough to turn to. ey're seeking leadership and guidance, and to be able to provide that really moves my heart." Real I.M.P.A.C.T. serves girls ages 8 to 14; their ultimate goal is to close the gender gap in STEM, with a particular focus on serving under-represented members of the community. "Exposure, even the smallest bit, is so important," said West. "When a parent has their eyes opened about some of these things, they don't feel so intimidated. So, when their daughter says, 'I want to be an engineer!' they're able to be supportive, because the concept of what an engineer does isn't so foreign to them anymore." anks to a Downtown Challenge grant, Real I.M.P.A.C.T. recently hosted a wildly popular First Friday pop-up event at Travis Jean's event space that "showed GENEVA WEST