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Our Rules and Regulations

To register please print and complete the application form and return to your school’s liaison prior to the registration deadline posted above. There will be no on-site registration. List of liaisons by school.

Eligibility

Each Contestant Must:

  • Be of African decent
  • Be enrolled in grades 9-12
  • Be a citizen or a legal resident of the United States
  • Be an amateur (having not received wages for professional services) in any category of competition

Requirements

A contestant may enter up to three (3) categories. Each contestant must submit one project per category. NO GROUP PROJECTS ARE ACCEPTED. NOTE: Each local ACT-SO program may only submit one entry per category at the National Competition. Each contestant is responsible for the transportation and storage of their projects (all projects should be easily transportable.)Each contestant must conform to the space requirements as dictated by each category.

All National contestants must submit to their local NAACP ACT-SO the following items:

  • A typed national application
  • A 1 or 2 page autobiography
  • A parent's consent form
  • A medical release form
  • A media release form
  • A photograph with name of the contestant and branch printed on the back (no larger than 5"x7")
  • A verification form for science categories
  • Six copies of student's science or humanities entries

Look at Respective Categories for Guidelines:

Patent and Copyright

ACT-SO participants may want to consider applying for a patent or copyright to protect their work (i.e. science, humanities). You may contact the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Patent Office, at 800-786-9199 for Patent information or the Library of Congress at 202-707-3000 for copyright information.