*Photo by Sean Hollins
KALAMAZOO (MICH.)-After T’Ausia Bronson delivered her oratorical essay entitled, “The Missing Father,” the teary-eyed crowd gave her a standing ovation. She was one of six students who earned a gold medal during the Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch’s annual ACT-SO competition held on April 21, at the Little Theatre on the campus of Western Michigan University.
Bronson and the other students will now prepare to compete in the national ACT-SO competition in Houston, Texas on July 5, with thousands of other students from across the country. Eight local students have brought home national medals in the competition since 2003 (see list below).
“This may be the best group of gold medal winners we’ve had,” said Bertha Barbee-McNeal, co-chair of the local ACT-SO competition. “We had some outstanding students who we feel should be able to bring home gold medals from the national event.”
ACT-SO is an acronym for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. High school students of African descent, who are citizens of the United States, enrolled in grades 9-12 and are amateurs in the categories of competition are able to participate. The goal of ACT-SO is to encourage and reward the achievement of academic excellence in the Sciences, Arts, and Humanities through a variety of formats, rewards and incentives.
2012 Winners include:
GOLD
Maryam Muhhamad – POETRY – Loy Norrix – 9th
Dendra Stegall – DRAWING – Loy Norrix – 12th
Siani Johnson – MEDICINE AND HEALTH – K-Central – 11th
Troy Robertson III – MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL/CONTEMPORARY (guitar) – 12th
T’Ausia Bronson – ORATORY – K-Central – 12th
Havier Hill Roller – MUSIC VOCAL/CONTEMPORARY – Loy Norrix – 9th
SILVER
Ollie Barnes IV – POETRY & MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL/CLASSICAL (piano)
Bryan Wright – ARCHITECTURE
Naomi Johnson – MEDICINE AND HEALTH
Marques Ware – MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL/CONTEMPORARY (piano)
BRONZE
Chasity Cooper – POETRY
Bryan Wright – MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL/CONTEMPORARY (drums)
Ollie Barnes IV – Entrepreneurship
Antonio Mitchell – MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL/CLASSICAL (baritone)
Cahlia Lanier – ORATORY
Quinton Knox – MUSIC VOCAL/CLASSICAL
HONORABLE MENTION
Otuodichinma Nnebedum – FILMMAKING
Charita Quinn – FILMMAKING
Past Winners include:
2003 – GOLD – Chris Mwakasisi – Computer Science
2004 – SILVER – Chris Mwakasisi – Mathematics
2004 – SILVER – Chris Mwakasisi – Physics
2006 – GOLD – Eneke Mwakasisi – Chemistry
2008 – GOLD – Noah Kramer – Architecture
2008 – GOLD – Ebony Gray – Oratory
2009 – SILVER – Noah Kramer – Architecture
2011 – BRONZE – Jasmine Franklin – Oratory
2004 – SILVER – Chris Mwakasisi – Mathematics
2004 – SILVER – Chris Mwakasisi – Physics
2006 – GOLD – Eneke Mwakasisi – Chemistry
2008 – GOLD – Noah Kramer – Architecture
2008 – GOLD – Ebony Gray – Oratory
2009 – SILVER – Noah Kramer – Architecture
2011 – BRONZE – Jasmine Franklin – Oratory
