ACT-SO Competition Application

The NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. ACT-SO includes 33 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing, visual and culinary arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated in the program since its inception.

Students of African descent who are U.S. citizens enrolled in grades 9-12 and are amateurs in the categories are eligible to participate in ACT-SO.

ACT-SO Timeline

• August 2021: Local programs kick-off annual ACT-SO activities
• March 2022: Local programs conduct mentoring and scholastic enrichment activities
• April 2022: Local programs host ACT-SO competitions
• April-July 2022: Students continue their local mentorship and enrichment programs to prepare for the National Competition.
• July 2022: Annual activities culminate with the National Competition and Ceremonies