What is ACT-SO

The NAACP's ACT-SO is a yearlong enrichment and achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. It was founded in 1978 by author and journalist Vernon Jarrett.  Almost 300,000 young people have participated in the program since its inception.

ACT-SO is an acronym that stands for Afro Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics.  It is the primary youth Initiative of the (NAACP) National Association for the advancement of Colored People.  

 Our New Orleans ACT-SO is an enrichment program grounded in Social Justice, dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing opportunities for 9th – 12th graders to engage in critical, evaluative dialog with community members in their areas of expertise. Through competition and enrichment programs, our New Orleans ACT-SO seeks to encourage high academic and cultural achievement among high school students. Thus, allowing young people to gain recognition equal to that often achieved by entertainers and athletes, research scientists, engineers, mathematicians’ architects and culinary experts.

Through ACT-SO, youth of the Greater New Orleans area through their artistic and scientific presentations weave the theme of social justice which is the very fabric of the NAACP through their performances and projects and thus are encouraged to not only become experts in their fields but fighters for equity and advocates for the disenfranchised.  

ACT-SO includes 33 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing, visual and culinary arts.

ACT-SO youth compete with the best of the best thus, reinforcing their positive and productive dedication to perfecting their craft.  Opportunities to interact and make connections with other outstanding peers in their field of interest broadens the perspective of the students and the world around them; thus, expanding their mindsets to be encouraged to envision their contributions to society beyond their neighborhoods to the community at large. 

Students will be further motivated to self-actualize through their passion for science and art and exert a positive influence on those around them.

Professionals from all walks of life serve as judges, teachers, and mentors for the program.  There are many lasting and supportive connections made between these professionals and our students.  The relationships formed are those of apprentice and student.  The positive fostering of our youth allows the professionals to pay forward their success through time and training into the futures of our leaders of tomorrow.