Graphic showing the winner smiling

Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School graduate Jordan Fischer earned a gold medal in playwriting at the 2025 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) National Competition.  

Each year, high school students across the country sharpen their skills through the ACT-SO. From visual arts and business to performing and culinary arts, participants work with community-based volunteers throughout the year to develop projects and performances.  

The experience culminates in local and national events where students compete for scholarships and other rewards.  

Fischer, who now attends Spelman College, received a $2,000 prize, an iPad, and an additional $2,000 through the NAACP Inspire Initiative Scholarship. 

“Winning the ACT-SO playwriting competition at the national level was an incredible honor and felt like validation that my hard work and voice as an artist truly matters,” Fischer said. “My time in Colgan High’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts program gave me the confidence to tell stories that are important to me and the skills to shape a play that connects with an audience. I’m proud that my play, which blended comedy and drama to address timely issues, resonated with the judges, and I’m excited to carry that momentum with me as I begin my journey at Spelman College and in Atlanta’s creative community.” 

Forest Park High School sophomore Reinalynn Patton (original essay) and Osbourn Park High School junior Gabriel Hamilton (written poetry) also represented PWCS at the national competition.  

“The NAACP Prince William Branch commends these scholars for their excellence, perseverance, and leadership. Their achievements reflect the core mission of ACT-SO: to recognize and reward youth who demonstrate academic and artistic excellence,” the organization said in a press release about the event.