ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics)
ListedCompetition
- Award
- National gold, silver and bronze medals plus college scholarship opportunities from national sponsors (amounts not stated)
- Deadline
- Local programs generally start in August, with local competitions February to April. The published national schedule is July 2026. NAACP now plans a 2027 Legislative Session incorporating ACT-SO, with the next full convention in 2028; exact 2027 competition/registration dates are not published.
- How to apply
- Join a local ACT-SO program through an NAACP branch/youth council and work with mentors. Local gold medalists qualify for invitation-only national registration through the unit coordinator. Students may compete in up to three areas, subject to category-specific rules supplied to local advisors; the complete 2027 rules are not public. National convention registration is not included in the ACT-SO fee.
- What you'll need
- A finalist round or selection weekend
- Who can apply
- Current general FAQ: U.S. citizens in grades 9 to 12 who are amateurs in their category. The program spans STEM, humanities, business, visual/performing and culinary arts; confirm category-specific restrictions with the local advisor.
- Good to know
- This is a multi-category achievement program with different project/performance rules. Sponsor pages differ on the total category count (32 versus 33). National medals and scholarship opportunities are advertised, but exact 2027 amounts and terms are not published.
- Details
- STEMArtsWritingResearchU.S. citizens only