ACT-SO Youth Group
All Winners of the 2006 NAACP ACT-SO Competition
NAACP Celebrates ACT-SO Winners at
29th Annual Student Cultural & Academic Performances
Talented young people from a wide array of disciplines were named as national winners in
the NAACP's ACT-SO competitions yesterday. ACT-SO--the Academic, Cultural, Technological
and Scientific Olympics--is a major youth initiative of the NAACP.
Gold, silver and bronze medalists were announced during the NAACP's 97th Annual Convention
being held in Washington, D.C. through Thursday (July 20). Actor Hill Harper of the CBS
forensic crime drama CSI-New York and actress/model Lisa Raye, of television and movie
fame, announced this year's awardees.
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. Gold medalists at the local level qualify for the national finals held at
the NAACP convention each summer.
This year's winners by category, their hometown and NAACP branch affiliation follow below:
| Architecture |
| Gold |
Morgan Glaze |
Balto., MD |
Balto. City Branch |
| Silver |
Joseph Momoh |
Somerset, NJ |
New Brunswick, NJ Branch |
| Bronze |
Amber Hines |
Long Beach, CA |
Long Beach Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Biology |
| Gold |
Joi Hayes |
Balto., MD |
Balto. City Branch |
| Silver |
Sneha Sharma |
Rego Park, NY |
New York City Dept. of Housing |
| Bronze |
Justus Roberts II |
Tampa, FL |
Hillsborough Co., FL Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Chemistry |
| Gold |
Eneke Mwakasisi |
Portage, MI |
Metro. Kalamazoo Branch |
| Silver |
Quintisha Walker |
Saginaw, MI |
Saginaw, MI Branch |
| Bronze |
Britni Lonesome |
Balto., MD |
Balto. City Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Computer Science |
| Gold |
Jasmin Nwachoker |
Missouri City, TX |
Houston, TX Branch |
| Silver |
Andreaus Robinson |
Chicago Heights, IL |
Chicago Far South Suburban Branch |
| Bronze |
Bakari Hill |
Atlanta, GA |
Atlanta, GA Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Physics/Electronics |
| Gold |
Patrick Allen |
Houston, TX |
Houston, TX Branch |
| Silver |
Lorenzo Dillard |
Gary, IN |
Gary, IN Branch |
| Bronze |
Jordan Smith |
Fort Worth, TX |
Arlington, TX Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Physics/Energy |
| Gold |
Bernika Melton |
Atlanta, GA |
Atlanta, GA Branch |
| Silver |
Cristy Miles |
Detroit, MI |
Detroit Central Branch |
| Bronze |
Sylvie Bizimungu |
Buffalo, NY |
Buffalo, NY Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Physics/ General |
| Gold |
David McMillon |
Saginaw, MI |
Saginaw, MI Branch |
| Bronze |
Terrence Copney |
New York, NY |
Mid Manhattan Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Music Composition |
| Gold |
Larry Robinson |
Bay Shore, NY |
Balto. City Branch |
| Silver |
Jamison Ross |
Jacksonville, FL |
Jacksonville, FL |
| Bronze |
Daniel Richardson |
Altadena, CA |
Altadena Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Original Essay |
| Gold |
Candace Rodgers |
Dallas, TX |
Dallas, TX Branch |
| Silver |
Felicia Udoji |
Nashville, TN |
Nashville, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Perry Landers |
Libertyville, IL |
Lake County Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Playwriting |
| Gold |
Stella Clingman |
Altadena, CA |
Altadena Branch |
| Silver |
Tinotenda Chitiga |
Orangeburg, SC |
Orangeburg, SC Branch |
| Bronze |
Kamilia Landrum |
Detroit, MI |
Detroit Central Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Poetry |
| Gold |
Nana Acheampong |
North Babylon, NY |
Balto. City Branch |
| Silver |
Bianca Edwards |
Battle Creek, MI |
Battle Creek Sr. Branch |
| Bronze |
Deja Taylor |
Oak Park , IL |
Oak Park, IL Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Dance |
| Gold |
DuJuan Smart Jr. |
Detroit, MI |
Detroit Central Branch |
| Silver |
Charlie Dowdy |
Nashville, TN |
Nashville, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Christopher Nolen |
Altadena, CA |
Altadena Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Dramatics |
| Gold |
Christopher Hampton |
College Park, GA |
Atlanta Branch |
| Silver |
Herbert Johnson |
Orangeburg, SC |
Orangeburg, SC Branch |
| Bronze |
Tyrien Obahnjoko |
Dallas, TX |
Mesquite, TX Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Music: Inst./Classical
|
| Gold |
Morgan McMillon |
Saginaw, MI |
Saginaw, MI Branch |
| Silver |
Christopher Leysath |
Orangeburg, SC |
Orangeburg, SC Branch |
| Bronze |
Jabari Anderson |
Washington, DC |
Washington, DC Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Music: Inst./Contemporary
|
| Gold |
Otto Gross III |
Owings Mills, MD |
Balto. Co., MD Branch |
| Silver |
Clinton Walker II |
Pontiac, MI |
North Oakland, MI |
| Bronze |
Chester Burke, Jr. |
Silver Spring, MD |
Montgomery Co., MD Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Music: Vocal/Classical
|
| Gold |
Brandon Waddles |
Detroit, MI |
Balto. City Branch |
| Silver |
Kelsey Porter |
Memphis, TN |
Memphis, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Stella Clingman |
Altadena, CA |
Altadena Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Music: Vocal/ Contemporary
|
| Gold |
Jessica Reedy |
Saginaw, MI |
Saginaw, MI Branch |
| Silver |
Renee Harris |
Atlanta, GA |
Atlanta Branch |
| Bronze |
Jamison Ross |
Jacksonville, FL |
Jacksonville, FL |
| |
|
|
|
| Oratory |
| Gold |
Tara Smith |
Bolingbrook, IL |
Dupage Co., IL Branch |
| Silver |
Tyrien Obahnjoko |
Dallas, TX |
Mesquite, TX Branch |
| Bronze |
Rosa Lee |
Homestead, FL |
Miami Dade, FL Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Drawing |
| Gold |
Danielle Gibbons |
Yorba Linda, CA |
Orange County, CA Branch |
| Silver |
Michael Feliz |
Miami, FL |
Memphis, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Nathaniel Austin |
Cleveland, OH |
Cleveland, OH Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Filmmaking/Video |
| Gold |
Joy Jones |
Oak Park, IL |
Oak Park, IL Branch |
| Silver |
Matthew Frazier |
Memphis, TN |
Memphis, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Thomas Alston |
Balto., MD |
Balto. City Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Painting |
| Gold |
Serge Jean |
North Miami, FL |
Miami Dade Youth Council |
| Silver |
Danielle Jackson |
Balto., MD |
Balto. Co., MD Branch |
| Bronze |
Latrice Jackson |
Miami Gardens, FL |
Miami Dade, FL Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Photography |
| Gold |
Naqeeb Stevens |
Los Angeles, CA |
Los Angeles Branch |
| Silver |
Phylicia Ghee |
Randallstown, MD |
Balto. Co., MD Branch |
| Bronze |
Crystal Bobb |
Houston, TX |
Houston, TX Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Sculpture |
| Gold |
Danielle Jackson |
Balto., MD |
Balto. Co., MD Branch |
| Silver |
Zachary Jackson |
Raeford, NC |
Scotland, NC Youth Council |
| Bronze |
Serge Jean |
North Miami, FL |
Miami Dade Youth Council |
| |
|
|
|
| Mathematics |
| Gold |
Naomi Adjei |
Newark, NJ |
Newark, NJ Branch |
| Silver |
Keturah Childs |
Inkster, MI |
Western Wayne Co., MI Branch |
| Bronze |
Jordan Clevenger |
Springfield, OR |
Eugene/Springfield, OR Branch |
| |
|
|
|
| Entrepreneurship |
| Gold |
Ryan Williams |
Ossining, NY |
Westchester Region Coalition |
| Silver |
Autumn Robertson |
Brentwood, TN |
Nashville, TN Branch |
| Bronze |
Alauna Mann |
Napersville, IL |
Dupage Co., IL Branch |
This year's national competitions were held July 13-15 at the Hyatt Regency
in Crystal City, Va.
Founded in 1978 by renowned author and journalist Vernon Jarrett, ACT-SO provides
a forum through which African American youth demonstrate academic, artistic and
scientific prowess and expertise, often gaining recognition reserved for
entertainers and athletes.
ACT-SO programs span most of a year beginning in the fall, followed by planning
and coaching of participants through winter months, culminating in nearly 200
local competitions that run through April. The ACT-SO program is centered around
the dedication and commitment of more than 100 community volunteers and business
leaders that serve as mentors and coaches.
The 25 ACT-SO categories of competition are in the sciences, humanities, performing
and visual arts. Poetry and vocal performances are a perennial favorite of participants
but organizers hope to see growth in the entrepreneurship and sciences categories
in coming years. Major initiatives are being launched to enhance math and science
entries that demonstrate young people's analytical and critical thinking abilities.
ACT-SO participants compete for financial awards from major corporations, college
internships and apprenticeships. All 75 medalists at the national level receive
wireless laptop computers for their achievement.
Famed ACT-SO alumni include rapper Kanye West, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith,
singer/songwriter Erykah Badu, filmmaker John Singleton and comedian Anthony
Anderson.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights
organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are
the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting
voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private
sectors.
CONTACT: NAACP Office of Communications 410.580.5125
|
|
|
