'Girls With Impact' Hears Business Idea From Darien Student

DARIEN, CT — From Girls with Impact: A packed room of parents and educators last weekend watched in awe as 25 Girls with Impact graduates from Connecticut and New York unveiled their business ventures, ranging from Countless Cares for Cambodia inspired by the death of relatives to Cleo, an app to find and secure makeup experts on-demand.

The gathering brings to 65 the total who've completed Girls With Impact, the nation’s only digital entrepreneurship program just for girls, delivered live from the home or road.

The organization celebrated its success by kicking-off application season for its Summer Intensive, a six-week program accessible anywhere to “turn Summer into career and college prep success,” said CEO Jennifer Openshaw.

Joined by her Cambodian father and a survivor of the mass genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge, 13-year-old Emily Kong of Trumbull, CT described the genesis of her idea, recalling the story her father told her early on: “My starving brother and sister passed away in my arms. They would have been an amazing aunt and uncle to you, Emily.”

Renata Ponchitesta, 17, of Cos Cob, CT, is working on Hunger Bar, an app to better facilitate food donations and support such local organizations as Neighbor to Neighbor.

Greenwich High sophomore Cathy Senyonjo, 16, is working on Plait Please, a device to facilitate braiding of black hair given the “four to six hours” it takes, while Kellie Taylor, 17, of Stratford, is building Cleo, an Uber-like app to find makeup help in your area.

“I never thought I could do this, but I feel more confidence, powerful,” said Megan Ardiles, 14 of New Rochelle High, who participated with her sister Grecia, 16. “We would check in with each other and give each other feedback.”

The “mini-MBA” guides teens from idea to a business plan and prepares them to launch a real business, nonprofit or community project while giving them a leg-up in college and career.

“The power of tech – with good guidance – can put these girls at the forefront of tomorrow’s workplace,” said Jennifer Openshaw, among the few female CEOs in Silicon Valley when she founded and later sold Women’s Financial Network.

Educator Sheryl Hewitt of Stratford High, in attendance, said about the extra-curricular academic program: “This is beyond 'wow!' Girls can use this as their capstone project.”

The six-week Summer intensive, starting June 18, features classes twice per week coupled with one-to-one coaching and two in-person events. Applications are being taken now.

Below are the girls who participated in last weekend's event:

• Nicole Banhidi - New York, NY; age 16, 10th grade; The Hewitt School
• Grecia Ardiles - New Rochelle, NY; age 16, 11th grade; New Rochelle High School
• Megan Ardiles - New Rochelle, NY; age 14, 9th grade; New Rochelle High School
• Isabella Brachet - Riverside, CT; age 15, 9th grade; Greenwich High School
• Jada Bryan - Stratford, CT; age 17, 12th grade; Stratford High School
• Debra Caminade- Stratford, CT; age 17, 12th grade; Bunnell High School
• Christina Cevetillo - Oxford, CT; age 16, 11th grade; Oxford High School
• Alexis Delva - Stamford, CT; age 15, 10th grade; Academy of Information Technology and Engineering
• Hachilah Felton - Southington, CT; age 13, 8th grade; Depaolo Elementary
• Macie Gehrke - Turlock, CA; age 16, 11th grade; Turlock High School
• Mia Gergis - New York, NY; age 15, 10th grade; Miss Porters School
• Gillian Goldstein - New York, NY; age 16, 10th grade; The Hewitt School
• Sabrina Gordon - New York, NY; age 15, 10th grade; The Hewitt School
• Julia Kempton - Stamford, CT; age 14, 11th grade; Academy of Information Technology and Engineering
• Emily Kong - Trumbull, CT; age 13, 9th grade; Trumbull High School
• Maddie McDermott - Fairfield, CT; age 16, 11th grade; Fairfield Ludlowe High School
• Aislinn Mobley - Darien, CT; age 17, 12th grade; Darien High School
• Devon Morgan - Greenwich, CT; age 16, 11th grade; Greenwich High School
• Matayah O'banyoun - Bridgeport, CT; age 15, 10th grade; Kolbe Cathedral High School
• Eleanor Opaleye - Yaba Lagos (Nigeria); age 13, 9th grade; Greensprings School Lagos
• Renata Pochintesta - Cos Cob, CT; age 17, 12th grade; Greenwich High School
• Carla Reyes - New Rochelle, NY; age 16, 10th grade; New Rochelle High School
• Catherine Senyonjo - Greenwich, CT; age 16, 10th grade; Greenwich High School
• Leelani Supersad - Bridgeport, CT; age 16, 11th grade; Kolbe Cathedral
• Kellie Taylor - Stratford, CT; age 17, 12th grade; Bunnell High School
• Sarah Tretler - Scarsdale, NY; age 15, 10th grade; The Masters School

Here’s a short Girls with Impact video: https://youtu.be/676eheQzod8

Photo credit: Girls with Impact

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