The Roanoke Branch of the NAACP is excited about the 2016 ACT-SO competition to be held Saturday, May 7, at William Fleming High School 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Although the program has been around for 36 years, it is considered by some to be a cultural “best kept secret” and people are really talking about how great it is. On Saturday, community leaders and volunteers will serve as judges and supporters as the Olympians showcase their talents.
ACT–SO is an acronym for Afro –Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics and there are 28 categories in the areas of Sciences, Humanities, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Entrepreneurship and Culinary Arts. A participant may enter in 3 categories. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded the winners in each category. Gold medal winners will earn a free trip to the National ACT-SO Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio in July.
Anthony Anderson, Kanye West, Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Roanoke’s very own, Patrick Curtis, Tyler Langhorn and Danae Antoine are all winners of the National NAACP ACT–SO competition. If they can do it, then we know that other youth in the Roanoke Valley can do it, too. They will have their starting opportunity on Saturday, May 7.
The Roanoke Branch sponsored a local competition in 2005 and Roanoke’s own Patrick Curtis traveled to Wisconsin as a local winner and won a bronze medal in Physics. In July 2014 and 2015, Roanoke youth traveled to Las Vegas and Philadelphia, respectively, to compete in the National and returned with Tyler Langhorn and Dane Antoine as bronze medal winners. This year, we want more winners to represent Roanoke, VA in Cincinnati.
All participants will continue working with mentors that will help them in their respective category or categories. The goal is to prepare them to be winners. We want our youth to “Not just talk about it” but “Be about it.” The leaders tell them–“IF YOU KNOW SO, THEN ‘ACT-SO’”.
There are approximately 20 youth participating in the local competition. Please come out and support them on Saturday, May 7, and you will be surprised and pleased as this wonderful Olympics takes place at William Fleming High School.
For more information, please contact Gloria Randolph-King, chairperson at 793-0811; Anita Price, co-chair at 529-4452 or Brenda Hale, Branch, president at 798-1387
