Help Talented Students Go To National Competition

Hello, We are James Gray and Julia Battle Co-Chairs of the NAACP New Orleans ACT-SO Committee. The NAACP ACT-SO (Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) is an enrichment program, grounded in Social Justice, and dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing opportunities for 9th – 12th graders who are guided to engage in critical, evaluative dialog with community members in their areas of expertise. Through competition and enrichment programs, our New Orleans ACT-SO encourages high academic and cultural achievement among high school students. As of this date, over 140 of our youth in the City of New Orleans have registered to participate in one or more of the 33 ACT-SO competition categories. 44 Schools in the Greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas were represented. Categories include the Performing Arts (classical and contemporary music, dance, dramatics), Visual Arts (painting, drawing, photography), Humanities (writing poetry/short stories), Entrepreneurship, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). This year, the categories have been expanded to include Culinary Arts. Over 70 professionals from the greater New Orleans Area are and have donated their time as mentors and judges for the local ACT-SO competition. Their In-Kind donations which helped to prepare our students for competition and gave them a more focused approach to achieving their aspirations in their selected fields totaled over 30,000 dollars. The 2023 NAACP New Orleans ACT-SO competition, held on April 22, 2023, at the University of New Orleans, was the most extensive and inclusive ACT-SO competition/collaboration in the city’s history. 48 students placed at our event. There were 18 Gold, 15 Silver, and 14 Bronze Medalists. Our 18 Gold Medalists will go to the NAACP National Convention in Boston Mass (July 25 through July 29, 2023), to compete for scholarships and national recognition. Now here is where you, our extended community, can help. While our parents and community members continue to contribute financially and in-kind to support our talented youth, the NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans also needs your support. As deadlines for the national competition approach, we find ourselves short of our financial goals. We know that each of you believes in supporting our children, Your donation could be that one integral part of ensuring that our students are given the opportunity to compete with the best of the best on a national platform We, thank you in advance for your generous donations. We are grateful for whatever you can give. All funds donated will be used for student expenses. Funds donated over expenditures will be shared with the New Orleans NAACP Youth Council to fund our recruiting, social justice and educational projects beginning in August 2023.