“Celebrating 21 Years of Academic & Artistic Excellence”

Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics of the Mind

NEW YORK (JIS) Friday, April 17, 2009 - The New York City ACT-SO program, an academic enrichment initiative targeting minority city students, turns 21, and on Saturday April 18, 2009, the academic and artistic prowess of NYC high school students (grade 9-12) of African-American and Hispanic descent, will again be on display in this-“Olympics of The Mind Competition.”

The day long competition (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), takes place at the host site, Clara Barton High school located at 901 Classon Avenue (two blocks from Eastern Parkway, and across the street from the Brooklyn Museum), in Brooklyn, NY.

The competition spans three disciplines: Humanities, Performing Arts and Sciences which is further broken down into 26 categories. Students are allowed to compete in up to three areas, across the different disciplines.

Distinguished professionals, along with corporate and community leaders, will honor some of New York City’s finest students at the NYC ACT-SO Awards Ceremony, on Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m., at the corporate offices of Con Edison, at 4 Irving Place Irving Place; (14th Street Union Square) in New York City.

Special guest of honor and keynote speaker will be the New York City Deputy Mayor of Education, the Honorable Dennis Walcott. Bringing greetings from his office is the Hon. Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President. NBC-4 Anchors: DeMarco Morgan and Veronica Contreras will emcee the event.

Several outstanding individuals will be recognized and prior to the Awards Ceremony there will be a VIP and Press Photo-op reception for special guests and friends at 5:00 P.M.

The NAACP NYC ACT-SO Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics of the Mind, challenges students to do their best work and find the best in themselves. It nurtures the talents of these kids giving them a window into what their lives can be through hard work.

It continually gifts the society with talented young scientists, poets, play-writers, painters, musicians, writers—well made young minds.

The results are impressive. More than 98% of NYC ACT-SO students graduate high school and approximately 85% go on to get a college education.

NYC ACT-SO Olympics of the Mind, Page 2

It is a model worth replicating and as NYC ACT-SO Chairman Anton Tomlinson puts it, “if we continuously challenge our kids to excel, while giving them the support and resources to do so, we will get results. This was my friend and mentor (the late founder) Vernon Jarrett’s dream and one which I am determined to continue as part of the larger NAACP’s efforts.”

The NAACP NYC ACT-SO program, a 501(c) (3) volunteer organization funded by public and private donations, is dedicated to promoting academic and cultu ral excellence among Black and Hispanic high school students. NYCACT-SO is grateful to its corporate, foundation, government and individual supporters: