The Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO), informally named the "Olympics of the Mind," is a youth program of the NAACP that is "designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students.
1976: Vernon Jarrett presented his concept for ACT-SO, an "Olympics of the Mind", to the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago.
The board adopted a resolution to accept ACT-SO as an officially sponsored NAACP youth achievement program.
[citation needed] For over thirty years the mission of ACT-SO has been to prepare, recognize and reward youth of African descent who exemplify scholastic and artistic excellence.
Winners of the competition at each local branch are eligible for awards at the finals during the NAACP national convention, which occurs every July.
ACT-SO receives support from schools, community organizations, churches, foundations, local businesses, major corporations and individuals.