Complete this form to receive information about the 2024 ACT-SO Competition.

The NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students. ACT-SO includes 33 competitions in STEM, Humanities, Business, and Performing, Visual and Culinary Arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated in the program since its inception. For over forty years the mission of ACT-SO has been to prepare, recognize and reward youth of African descent who exemplify scholastic and artistic excellence.

Medals & Prizes

Competition is open to all Metro-Detroit High School students.

Students are competing for medals, cash prizes and the opportunity to advance to the National NAACP ACT-SO Competition.

 

Gold Medal

Cash Prize $500

Advancement to National NAACP ACT-SO Competition with all expenses covered

 

Silver Medal

Cash Prize $350

 

Bronze Medal

Cash Prize $250

 

Detroit Branch NAACP
& Detroit NAACP Youth Council Competition Dates:

  • 6 p.m. Business & Humanities

  • 11 a.m. STEM & Visual Arts

    12:30 p.m. Performing Arts

  • Culinary Arts

 

Interested in competing in the Detroit Branch NAACP and Detroit NAACP Youth Council ACT-SO Competition? Please follow these 3 steps!

  1. Review the 2024 Categories and Competitions information below.

  2. Download and complete the application. Students may compete in up to three (3) categories.

  3. If you are competing in any of the following categories please take note:

    • BUSINESS
      You must submit the business plan with your application.

    • HUMANITIES
      You must submit your music composition, original essay, play, poem, short story with your application.

    • PERFORMING ARTS - Poetry Performance Only
      You must submit your poem with your application

    • STEM
      You must submit your science paper with your application.

Application Deadline is April 15, 2024

Submit the completed application in one of the following ways:

  • Via email: actso@detroitnaacp.org

  • Via fax: (313) 871-7745

  • Via mail:
    Detroit Branch NAACP
    Attn: ACT-SO
    8220 2nd Avenue
    Detroit, MI 48202

2024 Categories
and Competitions

Students can select up to 3 competitions from a total of 33 offerings.

  • Entrepreneurship
    Refers to owning, organizing, and managing your own business by providing a necessary product or service.

    View Requirements

  • Culinary Arts
    The creative practice of cooking. One who engages in the culinary arts, or a culinarian, is either called a cook or a chef depending on their level of expertise.

    View Requirements

  • Music Composition
    The science or art of arranging music by ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination or in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity.

    Original Essay
    A brief examination of a subject in prose usually expressing a personal view or interpretation of a subject or topic.

    Playwriting
    A literary composition developed for the stage.

    Poetry—Written
    A composition, marked by language chosen for its sound, beauty and evocative power.

    Short Story
    A brief examination of a subject in prose usually expressing a personal view or interpretation of a subject or topic.

    View Requirements

  • Dance: Ballet
    To perform a series of rhythmic and highly technical patterned bodily movements usually performed to music using grace and precision.

    Dance: Contemporary
    To perform a series of rhythmic and technical patterned bodily movements usually performed to music.

    Dance: Modern
    To perform a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music that focuses on the dancer’s interpretations using their emotions and moods to develop choreography.

    Dance: Traditional
    To perform a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music to reflect the life of the people of a certain region or country.

    Dramatic Arts: Acting
    The art of staging or acting plays.

    Music: Instrumental—Classical
    The art of performing with a device used to produce music with tones of the late 18th and 19th centuries characterized by an emphasis on balance, clarity, and moderation.

    Music: Instrumental—Contemporary
    The art of performing with a device used to produce music with the tones of the present.

    Music: Vocal—Classical
    The art of performing with the human voice rhythmic tones or sounds of the late 18th and 19th centuries characterized by an emphasis on balance, clarity, and moderation.

    Music: Vocal—Contemporary
    The art of performing with the human voice rhythmic tones or sounds to produce music with the tones of the present.

    Oratory
    The art of effective written, and oral presentation to persuade or inform. (This is not a dramatic presentation.)

    Poetry—Performance
    An original poem or prose, written by the contestant, performed as a monologue or exchange involving extemporization.

    View Requirements

  • Architecture
    Plans for and models of structures and outdoor spaces.

    Biology/Microbiology
    The science of life or of the origin, structure, reproduction, growth and development of living organisms collectively.

    Chemistry/Biochemistry
    The science that deals with the composition, structure and properties of chemical processes and phenomena of substances and the transformation that they undergo.

    Computer Science
    The science that deals with the theoretical aspects of computers including storage and the transformation of data using computers.

    Earth And Space Sciences
    The body of sciences that include geology, mineralogy, physiographic, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, astronomy, speleology, seismology, geography, etc.

    Engineering
    Projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses.

    Mathematics
    The science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, and abstractions of spaced con gurations and their structure. Development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic computations and the application of these principles.

    Medicine And Health*
    The study of diseases and health of humans and animals.

    Physics
    Theories, principles and laws governing energy and the e ect of energy on matter.

    View Requirements

  • Drawing
    The art of representing forms and figures on a surface by means of lines executed by hand or computer (digital) generated processes.

    Filmmaking
    The art and process of making motion pictures.

    Painting
    Art created by applying pigment on a two-dimensional surface with a brush, knife, or hand and/or the manipulation of digital processes with a computer.

    Photography
    The process, art and technique of capturing images with an analog or digital camera.

    Sculpture
    The art of making three-dimensional forms or designs.

    View Requirements

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FAQ’s

  • The NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.

    ACT-SO includes 33 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing, visual and culinary arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated from the program since its inception.

  • ACT-SO was founded in 1978 by author and journalist Vernon Jarrett. The program is intended to provide recognition to young people who could demonstrate academic, scientific, and artistic achievement, allowing young people to gain recognition equal to that often achieved by entertainers and athletes.

  • Students of African descent who are U.S. citizens enrolled in grades 9-12 and are amateurs in the categories are eligible to participate.

  • The ACT-SO program is an enrichment program. Over the course of each year students work with local volunteer instructors and mentors to develop projects and participate in enrichment opportunities, including workshops, tutorials and field trips specific to their competitions.

    The local ACT-SO competitions and ceremonies showcase the results of the students’ hard work. Competition winners receive medals and prizes provided by the local and regional sponsors and contributors. The local Gold Medalists advance to the national competition and have the opportunity to receive scholarships and other rewards provided by national sponsors.

  • ACT-SO is a community-based program that provides multiple opportunities for involvement. Community members may participate as: Chairpersons, mentors, sponsors, organizers, competitors, benefactors, educational partners, etc.. The program receives support from schools, local businesses, community organizations, churches, foundations, major corporations and individuals. For more detailed criteria and information about how to get involved, please contact the National ACT-SO office.

Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, President
Ms. Kamilia Landrum, Executive Director
LaToya Henry, Program Chair, ACT-SO

Detroit Branch NAACP and Detroit NAACP Youth Council ACT-SO Program Sponsored By: