Kevin Barlow
The Pantagraph
Jordan Stipp has been dancing since he was 3 years old, but the Normal Community High School junior says he has never had much luck in competition. He has danced throughout the state and even appeared in a professional dance video for an Israeli music artist.
Recently, though, he was one of seven Twin City high school students honored as gold medalists in the Bloomington-Normal NAACP Academic Cultural, Technological Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition. The seven will advance to the July 9-12 national competition in Philadelphia, receiving an all-expenses-paid trip.
"This means that I will have a better future for myself," said Stipp, who was awarded a gold medal in dance.
"I have been in competitions competing against people who have had more advanced training than I have had and it's been difficult. But winning something because of my dance means that I can continue doing something I love.
"I will probably still stick with computer science as a career, but this shows me that I can also be successful in dance,"he said.
For the past nine months, students from Normal Community West, Normal Community, University High, and Bloomington high schools have been working on projects in the humanities, performing arts, visual arts and business, said Carol de la Cruz, Bloomington-Normal NAACP ACT-SO Chairwoman.
Thirteen African-American high school students were honored as “Olympians” at an awards ceremony and banquet Sunday at the Illinois State University Hancock Stadium Club. The local competition was Saturday in Normal.
“I was able to see the competition firsthand Saturday and to say that these students are truly exceptional is an understatement,” said Bloomington-Normal NAACP President Quincy Cummings. “Everyone did a great job and we are proud of them.”
"It's very excited, and I can't wait for Philadelphia," said Itayjah Phillips, a senior at Normal Community West who won gold in Dramatics. "This means a lot to me."
Also winning gold were NCHS freshman Alexis Starks (Photography) and senior Malik Woods (Music); University High freshman Jordyn Blythe (Oratory); Normal West sophomore Kamryn Crayton (Short Story); and BHS freshman Tierra Schickel (Poetry).
“These students are excellent people and all entered with a 'We are all winners’ type of mentality,” said Meta Mickens-Baker, chairwoman of student recruitment.
Silver medalists were U High senior Darraugh Griffin (Music), Phillips (Dance) and Blythe (Instrumental Music).
Bronze medalists were BHS junior Sydni Harris (Music Composition), Normal West senior LaShuanti Bailey (Sculpture), Stipp (Oratory), Schickel (Performance Poetry) and NCHS junior Christian Baker (Short Story, Poetry and Music Instrumental).
ACT-SO is the principle youth initiative of the NAACP. It is a year-long enrichment and mentoring program that culminates in the competition where students compete for awards and scholarships totaling more than $100,000. It seeks to promote self-esteem, academic and artistic excellence and positive interaction between youth and the adult professional community.
In the five-year history of the Bloomington-Normal program, there have been 13 local gold medalists. There also have been two national bronze medalists and a national silver medalist.