“Bridges to ACT-SO” Scholarship Program

Since 1978 the NAACP has hosted a youth program considered to be an “Olympics of the Mind” for African American high school students. The program acronym is ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. The yearlong program culminates with local student competitions awarding gold, silver, and bronze medals in 29 categories (including Architecture) and the local gold medalists moving on to compete for a national gold, silver or bronze medal. NOMA members have long participated both locally and nationally as mentors and judges in the category. The NOMA Foundation has created a fund in honor of architect Leon Bridges, FAIA/NOMAC a staunch advocate of ACT-SO for decades. The fund is aimed at offering needed assistance to national medalists who have enrolled to pursue an architectural education in college.