Winter 2011
JANUARY 2011
Next Enrichment Session
Volume 3
Issue 5,
pg 1
Posted on www.dupageact-so.org
SATURDAY JANUARY 15, 2011 Noon – 5:00pm
Nextdetailed
2 Enrichment
Upcoming Events…
info listedSession’s:
on www.dupageact-so.org
Saturday, January 15 – Argonne National Labs Tour
Monday, January 17 - 7:30am-3pm - MLK Breakfast/Enrichment Session*
Saturday, February 19-2pm-5pm…Enrichment Session
Sunday, March 6 – 2pm-4pm…Pre-Competition Meeting
Saturday, March 19-9am..1:30pm-Local Competition (competitors arrive by 7am)
Saturday, March 19-7pm-10pm… Awards Banquet at Drury Lane in Oak Brook
* Pictures for the program book will be taken. Ladies should wear either a dress,
jacket/blouse & skirt or pants suit. Gentlemen should wear a shirt and
tie or business suit.
DuPage County
2011
ACT-SO
JANUARY
Newsletter
THIS MONTH’S
TOPICS
WINNERS CIRCLE SPOTLIGHT: Chinelo Aqwuncha
Chinelo (who graduated from Proviso Math & Science Academy) is currently a freshman at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois she is
pursuing a degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Public Relations.
Last summer, she earned the bronze medal in the category of Medicine
& Health at the ACT-SO national competition in Kansas City, Missouri. Chinelo says,
“After graduation, I plan to become a surgeon and do medical research. I’d like to begin
my career by joining doctors without borders and hopefully be able to build hospitals in
third world countries. Somewhere between all that, I really want to learn to surf!”
Note: Chinelo’s experience with the ACT-SO program was so positive that her younger
sister Uchenna joined. Her mother, Chioma, is a member of the Fundraising
Committee.
Upcoming Events
WINNERS CIRCLE,
VOLUNTEER &
STUDENT
SPOTLIGHTS
OUR STORY
EVOLVES
BRINGING FAMILIES
CLOSER
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: JOYCE SPROWL
As fundraising chair, Joyce (who gained her Bachelors in Accounting
from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and an MBA in
Finance from Roosevelt University) has been a tremendous asset to the program
bringing a wealth of both educational and professional experience. Always willing to
share her contacts, expertise and time, Joyce is yet another volunteer who has been
instrumental in the growth of the ACT-SO program. She comments, ”I am committed to
ACT-SO because it is an organization with a "heart" for service. The leadership and
volunteers are dedicated to serving our youth no matter what their backgrounds. They
provide the enrichment, guidance, and support that our youth need to be successful in
whatever they aspire to do. I feel extremely blessed to be a part of this organization.”
THE ROAD TO
MATURITY
ACT-SO
REFLECTIONS
THE STORY
CONTINUES
Membership Perks
Note: Joyce’s daughter Danielle is a former local gold medal Poetry winner. Her son David, a senior at
Bolingbrook High School, is a competitor in the categories of Physics and Poetry.
Sponsored by DuPage County Branch NAACP, College of DuPage & DuPage ROE
ENRICHMENT SESSIONS
OUR EVOLVING STORY:
Volume 3 Issue 5, Page 2
From humble beginnings in 1997, the DuPage County Chapter has grown from a handful of students
to the second most formidable program (out of an estimated 213 Chapters worldwide). The reason
is straightforward. Instead of just ‘running’ a program, ACT-SO volunteers continually seek to equip
students with skills that increase their competency and, by extension, prepare them to someday
assume a leadership role. Over the years, numerous volunteers have shared their time, contacts
and expertise to place us in the position to meaningfully impact students. In this issue you will learn
how our chapter was founded and the reasons why it continues to flourish.
SPOTLIGHT: College of DuPage ACT-SO Liaison - Cynthia Johnson
In 1999, I was recruited by ACT-SO Chairperson, Sadie Flucas, to coordinate travel for
local gold medalists to the National ACT-SO competition. I had no idea what the program
was about until after the local competition in 2000. I had decided to travel with the group
to the National Competition in Baltimore. What a pivotal experience for me! The founder of ACT-SO, awardwinning journalist Vernon Jarrett, loomed larger than life, commanding the very best of each student… and
getting it! The energy and enthusiasm generated from nearly a thousand, bright, articulate, and talented African
American teens from around the nation was awe inspiring. Later, I had the privilege of watching all three of my
children participate successfully in ACT-SO and go on to college. Our family has attended National ACT-SO
Competitions in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Miami, Houston, Milwaukee, Detroit, Orlando and New York. My
husband Ronnie and I incorporate National ACT-SO into our vacations, combining pleasure, work, and support for
our medalists. I have been ACT-SO Coordinator in the Community Development Office at College of DuPage
(COD) for six years. My office provides significant administrative support. We ensure continuity of services while
ACT-SO rebuilds its cadre of volunteers with each new year of students and parents. Room reservations are
made, vans driven, judges recruited, fees processed, contributions acknowledged, records kept, and flyers
mailed. Our goal is to give ACT-SO students the best experience possible. For us, that spells S-U-C-C-E-S-S!
DUPAGE COUNTY ACT-SO … B R I N G I N G F A MI L IE S C LO SE R :
Solidifying familial ties is just one of the numerous benefits gained through active participation in ACT-SO.
Ronnie and Cynthia Johnson’s family is a great example. Because Cynthia commits a significant amount of time
to the program, she found a way to include every member of the family. In the past her husband Ronnie
chaperoned local gold medalists who traveled to the national competition. Her son Alan, who competed in
computer science and won nationally in 2002 went on to earn an undergraduate degree at Iowa State, a
masters at Princeton, then spent two years in Teach For America in Baltimore and is currently working towards
his doctorate at New York University. His brother Brian, competed in original essay in 2002, computer science in
2003 where he earned a national silver medal, and in 2004 he earned a local gold medal in photography. Brian
attended and graduated from Wake Forest University where he is now working in admissions. His sister Chelsea,
competed in dance in 2005 and original essay in 2006 through 2008 (which earned her three trips to the
national competition) in addition to poetry. Chelsea, who is an amazing young woman, is currently attending
Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and is the subject of this month’s alumni spotlight (see page 4).
Sponsored by DuPage County Branch NAACP, College of DuPage & DuPage ROE
Volume 3 Issue 5, Page 3
DUPAGE COUNTY ACT-SO: THE ROAD TO MATURITY
Dr. Ernest Gibson, co-founder of DuPage County ACT-SO, was president of the DuPage County Branch
NAACP and the first Black administrator at College of DuPage. It was Syd Finley, a fellow branch officer, first
Black trustee at College of DuPage, and Chicago NAACP executive secretary, who encouraged Gibson to
bring ACT-SO to the suburbs. These two were community activists who had the energy, intellect, influence,
and faith to start several key organizations in the Glen Ellyn area including DuPage AME Church. It was Finley
who introduced Gibson to Vernon Jarrett, the nationally known journalist who founded National ACT-SO a year
earlier in 1978. As they say, “The rest is history!”
ACT-SO REFLECTIONS:
Dr. Gibson, a retiree is more than 80 years old, though he only stopped teaching part-time at COD in 2008. His
passion for education reveals itself in his many degrees and honors, having graduated from Tuskegee Institute
(BA in Business), Michigan State (MBA), and Northern Illinois twice with a Masters in Business Management
and a Ph.D. in Adult Continuing Education. He recalls feeling the excitement that Jarrett generated when he
first introduced the concept of ACT-SO to the NAACP at its meeting in New York City in 1978. This “Olympics of
the Mind” was envisioned as the antidote to singular aspirations of so many Black youth to become superathletes. ACT-SO’s mission was to redirect youth into academic areas and give them the same level of
accolades and support that athletes commonly received. Even back then, the primary emphasis was on
science and math, per Gibson. This was forward-thinking, even at that time. Gibson appointed NAACP
member and AKA Glen Ellyn chapter president, Rose Thompson, as the first chairperson of the fledgling
DuPage County ACT-SO Chapter.
THE STORY CONTINUES…
DuPage County ACT-SO experienced diminished energy and laid dormant for almost nine years until Sadie
Flucas was appointed chair in 1996. Sadie was the second Black administrator at COD after Gibson. Under
her care, DuPage County ACT-SO gained the attention and support of civic organizations, businesses and
institutions and flourished with a string of consecutive National ACT-SO winners. After nine years at the helm
Sadie retired. DuPage County Branch NAACP president, Reverend Theresa Dear, appointed Brenda Davis and
Jackie Mayo as co-chairs; they in turn recruited a stellar steering committee and increased fundraising
efforts which took the program to a whole, new level. Cynthia Johnson served as COD’s ACT-SO coordinator
to facilitate the college’s continued involvement through the Community Development Office. In 2008-2009,
ACT-SO co-chair Brenda Davis stepped down and Sadie Flucas’ daughter Dorletta Payton stepped up in her
place. Today the ACT-SO program is stronger than ever and continues to place students on a productive
path.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Justin Hill
In his second year with ACT-SO, Justin proved a worthy competitor earning a gold medal in the
2009-2010 local competition in Classical Music Instrumental. His skill and prowess on the saxophone (showcased via a jam session with fellow artists from across the country) at the national
competition in Kansas City additionally cemented his status as a formidable competitor. This
year, Justin will expand his repertoire and compete in both classical and contemporary instrumental musical
categories. Justin, who is a sophomore at Bolingbrook High School, was one of the youngest marching band section
leaders, as well as a member of the prestigious wind symphony and jazz band. He intends to pursue a music degree at
the collegiate level and later work professionally in the field.
Sponsored by DuPage County Branch NAACP, College of DuPage & DuPage ROE
Volume 3 Issue 5, Page 4
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Q & A with Chelsea Johnson
Q. What did you gain from being associated with the ACT-SO program?
A. I gained exposure to other high achieving African American students from around the
country. I have maintained relationships with many people I have met through both the
local and national competitions.
Q. What year are you in at Spelman and what’s your major?
A. I am a junior (technically a senior credit-wise) at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. This past semester I was
an exchange student at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. I am a Sociology major and
a Media Research and Professional Writing minor in the English department. I am also pre-law and still
deciding whether I want to go to graduate school or law school after I graduate.
Q. Can you expand (just a little) on your college experience thus far?
A. I am a very busy college student. At Spelman, I am a presidential scholar, writing center tutor, a
Morehouse College cheerleader, a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, competed in Alpha Phi Alpha's Miss
Black and Gold pageant and was crowned Miss 1906 last year, was in class council both my freshman and
sophomore years, was in hall council my first year, and studied abroad in South Africa this year. Going to
Spelman College has made me more globally aware and has exposed me to exceptional women of color as
mentors, professors, and peers. After a semester away, I am more than eager to get back to Atlanta and
return to the wonderful friends I have made, my inspirational teachers, and all of my extracurricular
activities.
MEMBERSHIP PERKS:
ACT-SO participants gain an extended family that applauds efforts, assists in learning from mistakes
and most importantly offers guidance that illuminates a path that leads to a more productive life.
Students who embrace all that ACT-SO so generously shares are exposed to a wealth of life
changing experiences that last a lifetime!
ACT-SO NEWSLETTER MISSION:
The DuPage County ACT-SO
program strives to nurture excellence and
provide positive reinforcement to
African American high school students.
ACT-SO: Today's Youth... Tomorrow's Legends!
DuPage County ACT-SO
c/o College of DuPage
1223 Rickert
Naperville, IL 60540
331-46ACTSO (331-462-2876)
We’re on the Web!
Visit us at:
www.dupageact-so.org
Sponsored by DuPage County Branch NAACP, College of DuPage & DuPage ROE