STUDENTS PARTICIPATION
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR ACT-SO
These are the eligibility requirements for participation in the Pine Bluff ACT-SO Program:
- Students must be African American.
- Students must be enrolled in grades 9-12th at Watson Chapel, White Hall, or Pine Bluff High schools.
- Students must be amateurs in their competitions and have received no financial compensation for their work before, during, nor after a competition.
- Students and parents must sign a Statement of Integrity Form signifying that the work product they submit is their own.
- Students and parents must sign a Media Release Form allowing the NAACP to use image of student and/or artwork in marketing and publicity releases.
- Students and parents must sign a Health Information release which documents that the student is insured, list any medical issues, and indicate emergency numbers to call.
- Students participating in STEM competitions must submit a signed STEM Verification Form stating that they have the academic qualifications for participation in their chosen category.
STUDENT PARTICIPATION
Enrollment for ACT-SO begins at the start of the school year. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2024-25 program year is November 1, 2024. Competitions are scheduled beginning in March 2025 and ending the 4th Saturday in April 2025.
Applications (along with the required forms) can be mail to:
ACT-SO
Pine Bluff NAACP
P.O. Box 9064
Pine Bluff, AR 71611
Attn: MaryAnn Lee
or
emailed to: pbnaacpactso@gmail.com
All questions should be directed to the chair at mizmaryann@gmail.com or by calling 870.718.5330.
DOWNLOAD FORMS HERE:
No Applications will be accepted after November 1, 2024.
SUPPORT, COACHING, & MENTORING FOR PARTICIPANTS
We are always looking for volunteers or organizations who would like to support ACT-SO as a coach, mentor, or as a workshop speaker.
Mentors: Mentors can be individuals or an organization that is willing to work with our contestants to provide feedback to students on their projects. Mentors do not suggest project ideas nor can they provide hands on help. The project ideas, creation and/or implementation of the project are the responsibility of the student. Students are required to sign a “Statement of Integrity” attesting that the project idea, design, creation, production, and/or implementation for their project are their own.
Who can be a mentor? Mentors can be high school teachers, college students (senior or graduate level), retirees in that field, and degreed professionals.
Workshop Presenters: Do you have a special skill such as public speaking, resume writing, or etiquette? Our contestants must make a 3-5 minute presentation during their competition, which include a short introduction about themselves, what inspired their project, and who are their future plans. Workshop presenters can also operate as coaches for contestants who have moved from the local competitions to the national competitions.
Coaches: Coaches work with the participant year-round and their role includes mentoring and help developing social skills for students who need extra support. Coaches, for example, may suggests reading or research topics or recruit mentors for students to help flesh out ideas for their projects – this is particularly the case for STEM, filmmaking, and performing arts contestants.
College Preparation Workshop: The students who have participated in our past ACT-SO have all indicated a desire to enroll in college. In fact, we have a 100% participation rate for college enrollment of former ACT-SO participants. We welcome college local recruiters who are interested in speaking with our ACT-SO students and their parents.