Who Can Participate in ACT-SO?
Students of African descent who are enrolled in grades 9 through 12 and are U.S. citizens or legal residents are able to participate.
Students are expected to take a youth membership in the NAACP.
Participants must be amateurs in their categories of competition, that is, a student who is or has been paid professionally is allowed to compete only in categories outside of his or her professional experience.
Students are required to seek a coach in preparing for competition.
Rules
Each contestant must:
1. be of African-American descent.
2. be a high school student enrolled in grades 9 through 12.
3. be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.
4. be an individual who has demonstrated a genuine interest in one of the categories.
5. submit a separate project, one contestant per category per city (a contestant may enter up to three (3) categories of competition.
6. be of amateur status–never having never having performed as a professional in any categories of competition.
7. conform to the guideline requirements as dictated by the category(s) chosen.
8. submit to his/her local NAACP chapter
a. a final application.
b. a 1 to 2 page, typed biography (double-spaced).
9. for National contestants, submit to his/her local NAACP ACT-SO sponsor:
a. a completed project.
b. a national application.
c. a one to two page, typed [double-spaced] biography.
d. a completed parental consent form.
e. a medical release form signed by a parent.
f. a small, clear photo.
g. Media release.