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Press Releases - County Council

Councilmember Rice Congratulates NAACP 2022 ACT-SO Medalists and Scholarship Recipients from Montgomery County 

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 2, 2022

From the Office of Councilmember Craig Rice

ROCKVILLE, Md., August 2, 2022Montgomery County high school students garnered medals and more than $50,000 in scholarship funds in the NAACP 2022 Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) Competition in Atlantic City, Nj., on July 17.

ACT-SO is a year-long high school initiative sponsored by the NAACP that promotes and encourages academic growth and artistic excellence. 

Participants from Montgomery County received eight medals, including four individual medals and one team medal for four students. Four students received $10,000 scholarships from the Lancôme Write Her Future Scholarship Fund, which aims to help bring equity to education and empower women through literacy and education. 

Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice, who chairs the Education & Culture Committee, issued the following statement congratulating the Montgomery County students who competed in the ACT-SO Competition: 

“Congratulations to our incredible Montgomery County students who competed in and took home eight medals and more than $50,000 in scholarship funds in the 2022 National ACT-SO Competition. 19 students represented the NAACP Montgomery County Maryland Branch in this prestigious national competition and were recognized for their outstanding achievements and impressive array of talent.  

“This is yet another reflection of our commitment to excellence in education here in Montgomery County. Our young people are our future, and we must invest in them and provide equitable opportunities for them to succeed. I look forward to seeing all that these accomplished students go on to achieve and the positive impact they will bring to their communities. 

“Thank you to the NAACP Montgomery County Maryland Branch for their leadership and support of this important initiative and thank you to the NAACP and its partners for providing this incredible opportunity to so many young people.” 

2022 ACT-SO participants from Montgomery County include:  

  • Selamawit Asmare, James Hubert Blake High School 
  • Logan Byrd, Northwood High School 
  • Bianca Calá, Northwest High School 
  • Eugene Carson, Wheaton High School/Edison High School 
  • Tenin Dembele, Northwest High School 
  • Daniella Gonyoe, Northwest High School 
  • Danyele Holland, The Harbour School 
  • Donovan Holt-Harrington, Seneca Valley High School 
  • Camille Kindrell Cobb, Walter Johnson High School/Edison High School 
  • Jeanne Lubika, Clarksburg High School 
  • Obaahemaa Mensah, Paint Branch High School 
  • George Obongo, Northwest High School 
  • Natalie Payne, Springbrook High School 
  • Deja Pemberton, Bowie High School 
  • Marcus Ross, James Hubert Blake High School 
  • Gisele Sonnier, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart 
  • Fasil Tefera, Wheaton High School/Edison High School 
  • Jadyn Washington, Elizabeth Seton High School 
  • Consuela Watts, Northwood High School
Release ID: 22-295
Media Contact: Kristin Trible 240-777-7947
Categories: Craig Rice