Students of high school age, in grades 9-12, who have a special talent, or skill — be it academic or artistic — can find opportunities to develop and shine in the Jeff Davis County Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) program.

The enrichment program designed to stimulate high academic and cultural achievement, ACT-SO, is sponsored by the Jeff Davis County Branch NAACP, and is being facilitated this year by Ms. Patricia Horton, of Carson.

Students may sign-up to participate when ACT-SO Kicks off Monday, Jan. 20th, at approximately 1:00 p.m., in the gymnasium at Prentiss High School. The Kickoff, or orientation, will begin at approximately 1:00 p.m., or immediately following a program honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which follows a parade that begins at 10:00 a.m.

Students from Prentiss and Bassfield high schools already have begun to make their interests known in ACT-SO’s Performing Arts category; however, participants can select up to three (3) categories of competition, including the Sciences, Humanities, Visual Arts and Entrepreneurship.

ACT-SO participants will work with local community and business leaders, who will coach and mentor them to prepare for a local competition. Dates for all activities will be scheduled from February – April, and will be announced. Winners of the local competition can advance to the national ACT-SO competition in Las Vegas, in July.

The Jeff Davis County ACT-SO program has produced several youth who have excelled to statewide, and even national excellence. Gerald McLeod, of Bassfield, won the local gold medal for Oratory (public speaking), and has agreed to coach students in that category this year. Jeremy Horton, a USM student who won the national silver medal for Original Essay when he was a student at Bassfield, has agreed to coach writing essays and poetry.

For more information, please contact Patricia Horton at 601-792-9519 or phorton01@yahoo.com.