NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans

Sponsored by Friends of NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans

2026 NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans: Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists

NEW ORLEANS, LA — [April 17, 2026] — NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans celebrated the winners of its 2026

local ACT-SO competition, held April 11, spotlighting high school excellence in STEM, humanities,

culinary, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and the performing and visual arts. Hosted at the University of

New Orleans, NOLA Spaces, and NOCHI, 125 students competed in 27 categories, earning 68 medals

and scholarships: 30 Gold medal awards of $300, 21 Silver medal awards of $150, and 17 Bronze medal

awards of $50.

Thirty Gold Medalists will represent New Orleans at the NAACP National ACT-SO Competition July 15–

19 in Chicago, joining and competing with over 450 students from 88 branches for scholarships,

networking, and prizes.

What an incredible day of talent, excellence, and achievement!

Thank you to everyone who joined us as we celebrated the outstanding presentations

and unforgettable performances of our Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists during the

2026 Awards and Talent Show Extravaganza at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center.

NAACP ACT-SO is a prestigious, year-round youth enrichment program, offering 33 competitions in

STEM, humanities, culinary, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and the performing and visual arts. New

Orleans was an inaugural city in 1978. The mission is to serve students in grades 9–12 through

mentorship, training, competition, and multiple opportunities to excel.

We are proud of each participant for sharing their gifts, dedication, and hard work.

Congratulations to all of our medalists and performers for making this event a truly memorable experience!

Friends of NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans, a nonprofit organization, proudly supported this year’s program through

dedicated volunteers, advocacy, and community engagement.

We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended the 2026 Annual Awards and Talent Showcase

at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center

and to those who continue to invest in the success of our students.

As our medalists prepare for national participation, ongoing contributions remain vital in helping

offset the approximately $2,500 cost per student.

Your generosity helps ensure that these talented young scholars have the opportunity to represent New Orleans on the national stage.

To donate, Click Here

Below Is the list Of Local Winners from the 2026 ACT-SO Competition

Sponsored by Friends of NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans

2026 NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans: Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists

Culinary

Gold

Maraya Bienemy – Chalmette High School

Silver

Nakai Carter – Young Audiences High School

Dance – Ballet

Gold

Shelby Robert – Benjamin Franklin High School

Silver

Lauren Guzman – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Kymora Smith – John F. Kennedy High School

Dance – Modern

Gold

Aliyah-Rose Vignaud – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Imani Mosley – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Kymora Smith – John F. Kennedy High School

Dance – Contemporary

Gold

Brooklyn London – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Amaya Stevenson – Thomas Jeierson Academy for Advanced Studies, New Orleans

Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Aenea Riley Hester – Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans Center for the

Creative Arts

Dance – Cultural

Gold

Lauren Guzman – Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans Center for the

Creative Arts

Dramatic Arts – Acting

Gold

Cherielle Clark – George Washington Carver High School, New Orleans Center for

Creative Arts

Silver

Sean Bentley – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Keshaun Tervalon – Jesuit High School of New Orleans

Spoken Word

Gold

Cherielle Clark – George Washington Carver High School, New Orleans Center for the

Creative Arts

Silver

Amira Konate – Benjamin Franklin High School

Bronze

Ahja Hawkins – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Hospitality

Gold

Chalmette High School Hospitality Team, Chalmette High School

Music Composition

Gold

Noble Hart – HART Academy, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Oratory

Gold

Abijah Wood Dawson – New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School

Short Story

Gold

Netanya Victoria Hart – HART Academy

Silver

Leif-Samuel Dawson – New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School

Bronze

Ahja Hawkins – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Poetry Written

Gold

Amira Konate – Benjamin Franklin High School

Silver

Princess Marks – Frederick Douglass High School

Bronze

Chase Anderson – Chalmette High School

Original Essay

Gold

Uri Gresham – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Ahja Hawkins – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Instrumental Classical

Gold

Terrell Hill – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Nola Butler – Isidore Newman School

Bronze

Gabriel Lombard – The Willow School

Instrumental Contemporary

Gold

Cortes Ward – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Noel Wilson – New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School, New

Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Kimori West – St. Augustine High School

Instrumental Jazz

Gold

Leon Brown Jr. – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Joshua Alexander – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Jason Jackson – St. Augustine High School, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Architecture

Gold

Trinity Smith – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Entrepreneurship/Business

Gold

Joel Lallande - McKanstry Preparatory School

Engineering

Gold

Connor Shaw – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

To'Nae Hilliard – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Filmmaking

Gold

Gabrielle Vance – Benjamin Franklin High School

Silver

Joel Lallande – McKanstry Preparatory School

Drawing

Gold

Trinity Smith – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Rayvn Ford – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Elise Celestin – The Willow School

Painting

Gold

Lauryn Landers – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Trinity Smith – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Ravyn Ford – Warren Easton Charter High School, New Orleans Center for Creative

Arts

Photography

Gold

Samaj Clark – Warren Easton Charter High School, New Orleans Center for the

Creative Arts

Silver

Davon Bentley – Discovery Flex Health Sciences Academy

Bronze

Jelani Smith – New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Sculpture

Gold

Abijah Wood Dawson - New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School

Silver

Ravyn Ford - New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Bronze

Autumn Fox - Salmen High School

Vocal Classical

Gold

Malia Suggs – Patrick F. Taylor Academy, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Marvin Henry III – St. Augustine High School, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Bronze

Terrill Green – St. Martin’s Episcopal High School

Vocal Contemporary

Gold

Keshaun Tervalon – Jesuit High School of New Orleans

Silver

Marvin Henry, III – St. Augustine High School, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Bronze

Morgan Price – Isidore Newman High School

Vocal Jazz

Gold

Elias Tilton – New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School, New

Orleans Center for the Creative Arts

Silver

Keyshaun Tervalon - Jesuit High School of New Orleans

Bronze

Malia Suggs - Patrick F. Taylor Academy, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Congratulations to all medalists and their schools for outstanding achievements in

the NAACP ACT-SO New Orleans Scholarship Competition 2026!