ACT-SO is an acronym for Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. ACT-SO is a yearlong enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. The ACT-SO program is centered on the dedication and commitment of community volunteers and business leaders; to serve as mentors and coaches to promote academic and artistic excellence among African-American students. There are 25 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, and performing and visual arts. ACT-SO is sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. ACT-SO receives support from schools, community, organizations, churches, foundations, private corporations and individuals.
The Fayette County NAACP Youth Council sponsored a local competition of which twelve talented students competed and received gold, silver and bronze medals. Only gold medal recipients can only compete in the national competition which will be held in Los Angeles, Calif. at the NAACP National Convention.
Gold medal recipients and their corresponding categories include: Camara Carter, Humanities – Original Essay, Performing Arts- Music Instrumental/Classical; Dara Carter – Performing Arts – Music Vocal/Contemporary, Visual Arts – Painting; Aaron Glaize – Visual Arts/Photography; Abigail Glaize – Humanities/Poetry; Jay Newsome II, Performing Arts – Musical Instrumental/Contemporary; Torrey Thomas – Visual Arts/Drawing; and Diana Turner – Business – Entrepreneurship.
The silver medal winners include: Elizabeth Johnson Wilson, Humanities/Original Essay; Aaron Glaize, Performing Arts/Dramatics; Dara Carter, Silver, Performing Arts – Musical Instrumental/Contemporary; and Jasmine Robinson, Performing Arts – Music Vocal/Contemporary.
The bronze medal recipients include Thomas Alexander, Performing Arts – Music Vocal/Contemporary and Abigail Glaize, Bronze, Performing Arts/Dramatics.
