“Olympics of the Mind” Mississippi Statewide ACT-SO Competition
2013/03/18 — The Olympics are coming to Jackson, MS this Saturday, March 23, 2013. The Mississippi NAACP is showcasing the “Olympics of the Mind” through its ACT-SO Competition, and dozens of high school students from across the state will be participating for a chance to win the gold medal! The competition kicks off at 9 a.m. at Jackson State University’s F.D. Music Hall.
ACT-SO stands for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics, and is a major youth initiative of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). ACT-SO provides a forum through which African-American youth can demonstrate academic, artistic and scientific excellence, thereby gaining the same recognition often only reserved for entertainers and athletes.
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 focuses on the dedication and commitment of community volunteers and business leaders who serve as mentors and coaches. There are 25 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts.
Approximately 50 students are participating in this year’s statewide competition. ACT-SO students who receive gold medals on the state level will compete at the 104th National NAACP Convention in Orlando, Florida during July 11-13, 2013. Mississippi youth have garnered three gold medals and several silver and bronze medals at the national level.
ACT-SO programs provide students with opportunities such as workshops, tutorials, and field trips. The local competition serves to showcase the hard work students have endured all year long. Bolden plans to expand the program to include leadership development sessions, one-on- one mentorship, service activities, and participation. The next session starts in August.
Click HERE, For More Information on ACT-SO
