# NAACP ACT-SO ACT-SO — the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics — is the NAACP's year-round achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among high school students. Often called an "Olympics of the mind," it pairs mentoring with competition in 33 categories across five disciplines: humanities, performing arts, visual arts, culinary arts, and STEM. ## What You'll Do - Join your local NAACP ACT-SO program, where mentoring and scholastic enrichment activities run from September through March - Develop a competition entry in categories such as drawing, music composition, dance, engineering, computer science, or entrepreneurship - Compete in your local ACT-SO competition, typically held in April - Advance to the National Competition and Ceremonies, held every July in conjunction with the NAACP National Convention, if you win a local gold medal ## Who Should Apply U.S. citizens enrolled in grades 9-12 who are amateurs in their chosen categories. Local programs kick off in August-September each year, so students should contact their nearest NAACP unit early in the school year. ## Outcomes National medalists earn awards and scholarships, and every participant gains months of mentorship, a polished portfolio piece or performance, and connection to a national network that has launched notable careers in the arts and sciences.