By L.J. McCoy, Jr.
Mya Jackson chose to play a contemporary selection of “At the Ivy Gate” by Brian Crain, Kyra Trice sung a classical version of John Legend’s “All of Me.” It all happened at the 2016 Annual Chesterfield NAACP Academic Cultural Technological-Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) Competition on Saturday April 16 at Second Baptist Church in Chester.
The event gave area students from Thomas Dale High, Meadowbrook High, and the Appomattox Governor’s School an opportunity to advance to the National ACT-SO Competition to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio July 14 through 17. During the competition, judges rated the contestants on choice of music, diction, stage presence, as well as tone quality. Under the direction of Chairperson Karen Johnson, the program has sent students around the country in quest of national recognition.
Five students received medals, including Juliana Jenkins who won two gold medals in classical and contemporary vocal, which would qualify her to compete at the National ACT-SO Competition.
Encouraging Chesterfield’s youth on this local level serves to showcase the hard work students have put in all year long through funders and workshops. The Chesterfield ACT-SO Youth Program continues to solicit funds and support to take additional students to observe nationwide competitors in order to enhance their skills for next year, and the future.
