National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Chicago Southside

ACT-SO, a program by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is an acronym that stands for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. It is a student enrichment program that culminates in a local and national competition where students compete for awards, and prizes totaling over $100,000.

The ACT-SO program centers around the dedication and commitment of community volunteers and business leaders; to serve as mentors and coaches to promote academic and artistic excellence among students of African-American descent.

​

Students who participate in ACT-SO, compete with other students (locally) in up to 3 of 32 categories which includes sciences, humanities, performing arts, visual arts and business. The local competition serves to showcase the hard work students have put in all year long. Students receive medals and prizes provided by the local and regional sponsors and contributors. ACT-SO Students who receive gold medals on the local level then compete at the National Competition where they receive prizes and other rewards provided by national sponsors.