BHS Student Wins National ACT-SO Gold Medal

Editor's Note: The following is a release from the Valley View School District.

Justin Hill is a national champion, having earned a Gold Medal in the Contemporary Instrumental Music category at the ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) National Conference in Los Angeles in July.

Hill qualified for the competition by regional competition March 19.

ACT-SO, considered the "Olympics of the Mind," is a nation-wide program sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that encourages high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. It includes 26 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, business, performing and visual arts.

The seven month local program features leadership development sessions, 1-on-1 mentorship, and service activities. Students work with mentors who help them develop projects throughout the year. Local ACT-SO programs also provide ACT-SO students with enrichment opportunities, such as workshops, tutorials, and field trips.

The Bolingbrook High School chapter is among the largest in the Chicago area. This year, plans call for expanding to Romeoville High School as well.