Area students earn 45 medals at competition
On March 19, more than 85 students from 29 area high schools competed in the 2011 DuPage County Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics competition held at College of DuPage, earning a total of 45 gold, silver and bronze medals. The 16 gold medalists will go on to compete in the ACT-SO National Competition July 20 to 24 in Los Angeles.
Sponsored by College of DuPage, the DuPage County branch of the NAACP and the DuPage Regional Office of Education, ACT-SO is an enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.
Participants are eligible to compete in a maximum of three categories in the areas of science, humanities, business, performing arts and visual arts. Gold medal winners from the local competition at COD will travel to Kansas City, Mo., from July 7 to 11 to compete in the National ACT-SO finals.
This year's DuPage County ACT-SO student winners are:
Bolingbrook
Justin Hill, gold, Music Instrumental - Contemporary; bronze, Music Instrumental – Classical
Malika Kelly, gold, Dance
Jessica Beamon, bronze, Medicine/Health
Austin Johnson, bronze, Oratory
Joaquin Latchmen, bronze, Dance
Maimuna Venzant, bronze, Playwriting
Danielle Stanciel, honorable mention, Oratory
Brother Rice
Andrew Fridge, silver, Music Composition; bronze, Music Instrumental – Contemporary
Downers Grove South
Alisha Sandridge, gold, Oratory; silver, Dramatics
Geneva
Grant Hudson, gold, Architecture
Victoria Miranda Wilson, bronze, Original Essay; honorable mention, Music Instrumental – Classical
Glenbard East
Jibria Westbrooks, silver, Painting
Glenbard South
Kenise Lawrence, gold, Painting; bronze, Photography; bronze, Poetry
Kai Bush, bronze, Engineering
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Uchenna Agwuncha, bronze, Sculpture
James B. Conant
Reina McKenzie, silver, Music Vocal – Contemporary
Kennedi Jones, honorable mention, Poetry
Larkin
Chantel George, gold, Dramatics; gold, Music Vocal – Classical; bronze, Music Vocal - Contemporary
Marquette Manor
Maxi Sheppard, gold, Music Composition; honorable mention, Music Instrumental – Contemporary
Metea Valley
Alyssa Thomas, gold, Photography
Jordan Grant, honorable mention, Music Vocal – Classical
Naperville Central
Najera Rogers, silver, Poetry
Naperville North
Sharad Crosby, silver, Biology-Microbiology; honorable mention, Drawing
Sirena Crosby, bronze, Dramatics; honorable mention, Photography
Neuqua Valley
Morgan Gathe, gold, Music Instrumental – Classical; silver, Music Instrumental – Contemporary
Jasmine Washington, gold, Poetry
Carter Jordan, silver, Dance
Samuel Washington, bronze, Engineering
Termayne Harper, honorable mention, Music Vocal - Contemporary
Darlene Okafor, honorable mention, Medicine/Health
Oswego East
Kalin Reed, silver, Architecture
Plainfield North
Isaiah Buford, silver, Sculpture
Carli Battle, bronze, Painting
Rich East
Kiana Mayes, gold, Music Vocal – Contemporary
South Elgin
Nigel Mills, silver, Original Essay
St. Charles East
Michelle Mann, honorable mention, Original Essay
Timothy Christian
Adrienne Cameron, gold, Medicine/Health
Alexis Cameron, silver, Medicine/Health
Waubonsie Valley
Andrea Bryant, gold, Biology-Microbiology; silver, Music Instrumental – Classical
Nicole Oguike, gold, Original Essay
Sydney Shavers, silver, Photography
The year-long ACT-SO program is also actively sponsored by more than 50 local businesses, churches and community organizations. Eligible participants include African American high school students who are citizens of the United States, enrolled in grades 9 to 12, and retain amateur status in their categories of competition.
For more information, call Johnson at (630) 942-3872 or visit: www.cod.edu/act-so.