2006 DuPage County ACT-SO National Competition Results

2006 National ACT-SO Competition Results

July 17, 2006

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:

Category	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Architecture	Morgan Glaze Balto., MD Balto. City Branch	Joseph Momoh Somerset, NJ New Brunswick, NJ Branch	Amber Hines Long Beach, CA Long Beach Branch
Biology	Joi Hayes Balto., MD Balto. City Branch	Sneha Sharma Rego Park, NY New York City Dept. of Housing	Sneha Sharma Rego Park, NY New York City Dept. of Housing
Chemistry	Eneke Mwakasisi Portage, MI Metro. Kalamazoo Branch	Quintisha Walker Saginaw, MI Saginaw, MI Branch	Britni Lonesome Balto., MD Balto. City Branch
Computer Science	Jasmin Nwachoker Missouri City, TX Houston, TX Branch	Andreaus Robinson Chicago Heights, IL Chicago Far South Suburban Branch	Bakari Hill Atlanta, GA Atlanta, GA Branch
Dance	DuJuan Smart Jr. Detroit, MI Detroit Central Branch	Charlie Dowdy Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Branch	Christopher Nolen Altadena, CA Altadena Branch
Dramatics	Christopher Hampton College Park, GA Atlanta Branch	Herbert Johnson Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg, SC Branch	Tyrien Obahnjoko Dallas, TX Mesquite, TX Branch
Drawing	Danielle Gibbons Yorba Linda, CA Orange County, CA Branch	Michael Feliz Miami, FL Memphis, TN Branch	Nathaniel Austin Cleveland, OH Cleveland, OH Branch
Entrepreneurship	Ryan Williams Ossining, NY Westchester Region Coalition	Autumn Robertson Brentwood, TN Nashville, TN Branch	Alauna Mann Naperville, IL Dupage Co., IL Branch
Filmmaking/Video	Joy Jones Oak Park, IL Oak Park, IL Branch	Matthew Frazier Memphis, TN Memphis, TN Branch	Thomas Alston Balto., MD Balto. City Branch
Mathematics	Naomi Adjei Newark, NJ Newark, NJ Branch	Keturah Childs Inkster, MI Western Wayne Co., MI Branch	Jordan Clevenger Springfield, OR Eugene/Springfield, OR Branch
Music Composition	Larry Robinson Bay Shore, NY Balto. City Branch	Jamison Ross Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville, FL	Daniel Richardson Altadena, CA Altadena Branch
Music: Instrumental/Classical	Morgan McMillon Saginaw, MI Saginaw, MI Branch	Christopher Leysath Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg, SC Branch	Jabari Anderson Washington, DC Washington, DC Branch
Music: Instrumental/Contemporary	Otto Gross III Owings Mills, MD Balto. Co., MD Branch	Clinton Walker II Pontiac, MI North Oakland, MI	Chester Burke, Jr. Silver Spring, MD Montgomery Co., MD Branch
Music: Vocal/Classical	Brandon Waddles Detroit, MI Balto. City Branch	Kelsey Porter Memphis, TN Memphis, TN Branch	Stella Clingman Altadena, CA Altadena Branch
Music: Vocal/Contemporary	Jessica Reedy Saginaw, MI Saginaw, MI Branch	Renee Harris Atlanta, GA Atlanta Branch	Jamison Ross Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville, FL
Oratory	Tara Smith Bolingbrook, IL Dupage Co., IL Branch	Tyrien Obahnjoko Dallas, TX Mesquite, TX Branch	Rosa Lee Homestead, FL Miami Dade, FL Branch
Original Essay	Candace Rodgers Dallas, TX Dallas, TX Branch	Felicia Udoji Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Branch	Perry Landers Libertyville, IL Lake County Branch
Painting	Serge Jean North Miami, FL Miami Dade Youth Council	Danielle Jackson Balto., MD Balto. Co., MD Branch	Latrice Jackson Miami Gardens, FL Miami Dade, FL Branch
Photography	Naqeeb Stevens Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Branch	Phylicia Ghee Randallstown, MD Balto. Co., MD Branch	Crystal Bobb Houston, TX Houston, TX Branch
Physics/Energy	Bernika Melton Atlanta, GA Atlanta, GA Branch	Cristy Miles Detroit, MI Detroit Central Branch	Sylvie Bizimungu Buffalo, NY Buffalo, NY Branch
Physics/General	David McMillon Saginaw, MI Saginaw, MI Branch	--------------	Terrence Copney New York, NY Mid Manhattan Branch
Playwriting	Stella Clingman Altadena, CA Altadena Branch	Tinotenda Chitiga Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg, SC Branch	Kamilia Landrum Detroit, MI Detroit Central Branch
Poetry	Nana Acheampong North Babylon, NY Balto. City Branch	Bianca Edwards Battle Creek, MI Battle Creek Sr. Branch	Deja Taylor Oak Park , IL Oak Park, IL Branch
Sculpture	Danielle Jackson Balto., MD Balto. Co., MD Branch	Zachary Jackson Raeford, NC Scotland, NC Youth Council	Serge Jean North Miami, FL Miami Dade Youth Council
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.

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