Real I M P A C T Center Inc

Real IMPACT Center, Inc's mission is to inspire and support the youth within our community in academics and prevention services to develop Intelligent and Motivated People to Actively Change the Times. Its goal is to identify Real Issues, offer Real Solutions and therefore make a Real IMPACT in the lives of the youth and community today.  Real IMPACT Center, Inc. is an out-of-school program designed to inspire youth to engage with STEM and STEAM - science, technology, engineering, art, and math - and therefore improve their financial literacy, develop cultural awareness, increase character development and enhance their educational experiences with innovative programming and community events.  

The organization seeks to immerse youth in critical thinking and problem solving through STEM-based activities that are often not readily available in typical classroom settings.  Real IMPACT Center, Inc. intends to expand STEM educational opportunities in the future to girls in third through twelfth grades. Real IMPACT Center, Inc. is focused on closing the gender gap in STEM by empowering girls from all walks of life to ignite their passion for hands-on project based learning thus equipping her with the confidence needed to pursue higher education up to a career that would help reduce the cycle of generational poverty.

Some programs offer STEM curriculum annually, but our program focuses on girls year-round.  Others offer courses and curriculum that students sign up for and provide little to no follow up. Our program offers follow-up and supporting programs to follow, as well as a community of professional women, a host of resources, and the encouragement that a young girl needs to actuate formal education and a successful STEM career. We partner with others to enhance the quality of STEM education offered to students, such as with Bibb School District after-school program. Our curriculum includes character development, leadership, public speaking, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. We provide mentors that will guide our STEM focused girls on a pathway to college admissions. After seven years in May 2020, our first girl graduated high school one year early and is currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering.       

Real IMPACT has existed in our community for 7 years as the only organization that tailors our STEM program to girls in Macon-Bibb and throughout MIddle Georgia to reduce the cycle of generational poverty.  Our year-round programs include Girl Power STEM Camp, Pretty Cool Lego Girls Robotics Team, Real Girls Code Club, STEMtastic Saturdays, Girls will be Women in STEAM Conference, and Macon STEM Festival.  Since 2013, we have successfully executed STEM curriculum programs serving more than 2,500 disadvantaged girls throughout Middle Georgia. The organization began with twelve girls in their first Girl Power STEM Summer Camp (GPSC), steadily increasing to over 45 girls in GPSC in July 2016 and maintaining that reach to more than 40 girls per week in GPSC 2020 through our virtual platforms. We now have an established network of students, parents, volunteers, partners, sponsors, board of directors, and community leaders engaged in our organization. and are currently executing STEM programming for about 540 students annually.  Through collaboration with their higher education partners Central Georgia Technical College and Mercer University, Real IMPACT have since expanded their programming and have seen the demand for STEM/STEAM Education for girls rise rapidly over the past few years. The initial concept of the organization was to answer the community’s demand by providing quality STEM curriculum at a safe, central location- easily accessible to all students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we transitioned our curriculum to virtual platforms, thus continuing to conduct our programs successfully and continuing to meet the needs of underserved girls in these unprecedented times.