The 2026 season of the Pine Bluff NAACP ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) Program is underway, with student competitions already beginning this month.
Organizers announced a series of upcoming competition dates across multiple disciplines, including Visual Arts on March 7, Humanities on March 14, Music and Spoken Word on April 4, and STEM and Computer Science on April 11.
To launch the new season, ACT-SO participants recently took part in a public speaking workshop in partnership with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Emerging Scholars Leadership Institute. The event was held at Indigo Blue Coffeehouse in Pine Bluff.
Students were paired with ESLI scholars for the workshop, which focused on building confidence and communication skills. Topics included overcoming the fear of public speaking, effective body language, audience engagement and message delivery.
Workshop facilitators included ESLI Executive Director Tim Campbell, Dr. Kathy Richards, associate director of Placement and Assessment, and ESLI scholars. The event was organized by ACT-SO Program Chair Maryann Lee, who also owns Indigo Blue Coffeehouse. Pine Bluff NAACP President Robert Treadwell was also in attendance.
The session lasted approximately 90 minutes and concluded with students delivering impromptu presentations in their chosen categories. Participants received feedback from ESLI scholars before taking part in networking opportunities and a light lunch.
Program leaders said the event helped establish a new partnership between ACT-SO and ESLI, aimed at supporting student growth, leadership development and academic excellence.
ACT-SO is a nationally recognized NAACP initiative designed to promote and reward academic and artistic achievement among high school students.
For more information about the Pine Bluff ACT-SO Program, contact Maryann Lee at 870-718-5330 or [email protected].
