William Fleming High School was the center of extreme excitement on Saturday, April 18, as the Roanoke Branch NAACP’s local ACT-SO Competition got underway! From 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. youth, parents, community volunteers, judges and branch members across the Roanoke Valley were involved in competing, eating, celebrating, talking and enjoying the experience.
Students this year competed in 15 of the 27 categories with several students competing in 2 or 3 categories that included Sciences, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Humanities and Business. All participants were assessed by qualified judges and given points based upon a rubric for each category that total 100 points. The medal winners were based upon the total points received according to NAACP’s National ACT-SO’s guidelines–with NO medal winners in some categories. Medal winners must fall in the range of Gold, 95–100 points; Silver 90-94 points; Bronze: 85-89 points.
There were five Gold Medal Winners: (from William Fleming High School – Danae Antoine, Visual Arts/ Drawing; Jasmine Armster (Governor’s School), Sciences–Medicine and Health, and repeat winner-Kai Washington-Brown- Performing Arts-Dance; and (from Salem High School: Curtis Staples, Jr., Business-Entrepreneurship,and AishahBrown, Humanities-Poetry Performance.
Other winners include Amanda Peterson, Vocal Contemporary (Silver); Aishah Brown, Vocal Contemporary (Bronze); Bradley Smith – Music Classical Instrumental (Bronze); Curtis Staples – Mathematics (Bronze); Chineoke Ugochikou – Biology/Microbiology (Bronze); Kiana Bell – Oratory; Erin Hilton – Dramatics and Ruth Payne – Dance.
The ACT-SO committee deeply appreciates all participation of parents, coaches, mentors, judges and everyone who helped in any way to make the event a success. Special kudos to Optical Cable Company who donated the medals and for the breakfast and lunch prepared by Jeannie McCadden Catering Company.
The Roanoke Branch NAACP plans to take the Gold medal winners to the National ACT-SO Competition in Philadelphia, PA, July 9-13. The Branch is grateful for the generous donation from Women United for Community Action and will need more funds in order for them to enter the National Competition. “Jazz On the Lawn,” an ACT-SO Fund Raiser is being planned for June 28 on Cove Road (Clint Barlow’s lawn). Your support will be greatly appreciated!
Please contact local chapter NAACP President Brenda Hale or Mollie DeBerry for additional informatin.
