Sisters Zenobia Edwards and Tina Woodard, founders of I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L., Inc., are on a mission to empower girls and women in their community. A $14,000 Jackson EMC Foundation grant is supporting their efforts to build self esteem, teach life skills and expose girls to math and science.

During her time as an educator in the school system, Zenobia Edwards saw disturbing evidence that girls in her school were facing difficult challenges. Gang involvement, eating disorders and teen pregnancy were among the many issues affecting young girls' with low self-esteem. That's when Edwards approached her sister about founding an organization to help combat challenges girls and women face due to low self-esteem. Incorporated in 2004, the I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. organization serves more than 60 girls in on-going development programs and hosts events for hundreds of girls and women in Georgia and South Carolina. The organization's mission focuses on building self-esteem and awareness that what girls have inside makes them beautiful, special and unique.

B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. stands for Brave, Energetic, Assertive, Unique, Tenacious, Important, Fabulous, Unequaled and Loved. I Am's Leadership Development program provides bi-weekly workshops to teach girls essential life skills and to expose girls to math, science, engineering and technology. Woodard serves as executive director of I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. in Georgia, and, as a former engineer, wants to ensure that the program introduces girls to fields that very few women dominate.

I Am is also in need of mentors and volunteers. If you're interested or need more information about the program, please visit www.iambeautiful.org or call 404-545-9051.