The Roanoke Branch NAACP ACT-SO Committee held its first virtual local competition on Saturday, June 6, 2020. From 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. the Olympians, judges and committee members were busy on zoom in this new experience.
This year, due to the Coronavirus, many of the youth were unable to continue virtually, so approximately 20 students continued and competed in 10 of the 32 categories. Several students competed in 2 categories. All participants were assessed by qualified judges and given points based upon a rubric for each category that totaled 100 points.
There were eight gold medal winners with one Olympian winning in 2 categories. In STEM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) the gold medal winners are all Roanoke Valley Governor’s School students Elyse McFalls, Medicine & Health, 2020 Graduate & Valedictorian WFHS; Dylan Tran, Engineering, 2020 Graduate & Valedictorian, Northside HS; Uyen Tran, Chemistry/Biochemisty, Rising Senior WFHS; London Paige, Biology/Microbiology, 2019 National Bronze Medal winner, rising senior WFHS; in Performing Arts-Vocal Contemporary; Kameron Washington-Brown, 2020 graduate WFHS & Governor’s School; Performing Arts-Instrumental Classical, Cellist Lynn Park, Rising Senior, Lord Botetourt HS; in Performing Arts, Poetry Performance, Janiah Merchant, James River HS, also gold medal winner in Humanities, Poetry Written.
Silver medalists were: (Poetry Performance) Brianna Wilson, WFHS; Christian Bryant, Performing Arts-Vocal, WFHS; Camly Tran, Instrumental Classical, Northside HS; Visual Arts, Daphenie Joseph, PHHS.
Bronze medal winners were: (Poetry Written) – John Miller Penn, PHHS; (Music Composition)-Aron Wilson,WFHS; (Instrumental Classical ) Dylan Tran – NSHS.
The virtual competition required judges to appear and score the youth virtually on zoom. This was a different experience for them and they are extremely appreciative. Committee member, Don Wages coordinated STEM Olympians and the STEM judges were – Mark Levy, Cynthia Bohland,, Kayla Moore and Connor Wade. Performing Arts judges were: Peter Wonson, Jeffrey Allgood, Tramere Monroe, Patice Holland, Kate McLean and Rey Deskins; Humanities judges were: Tramere Monroe, Peter Wonson, Pamela Smith, Jeffrey Allgood, Kate Nclean and Rod Hooper and Visual Arts judges were: Ashley Pannell and Porsha Waddy.
The National Convention scheduled to take place in Boston, MA; has been postponed due to arrival of the pandemic. However, the gold medal winners will be participating in the NAACP National ACT-SO Virtual Competition July 22-25, 2020.
The local branch is extremely grateful for the generous donation of $500 from the Women United for Community Action to assist with program costs.
For more information, contact the Branch President, Brenda Hale 798-1387 or ACT-SO chair, Gloria Randolph-King 793-0811.
