The 2000 Chicago NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) annual celebration luncheon

More than 300 parents, high school principals, civic, corporate and community leaders and UIC administrators and faculty are expected to attend the luncheon.

GregAlan Williams, the Emmy-award-winning actor and highly regarded author and humanitarian, will be the luncheon speaker. Williams recently appeared in the HBO drama "The Sopranos" and the TNT production "Freedom Song" with Danny Glover. He is also known for his regular appearances on "Baywatch" and "Baywatch Nights," and will star this fall with Denzel Washington in "Remember the Titans."

Thursday, June 29
Noon - 2 p.m. (registration at 11:30 a.m.)

University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago Circle Center, Illinois Room
750 S. Halsted St.

Supporting the efforts of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to inspire and encourage African-American youth toward excellence in academic and artistic pursuits, the University of Illinois at Chicago will honor the 34 Chicago-area winners of the 2000 ACT-SO competition at its 10th annual ACT-SO luncheon and awards celebration.

The NAACP is marking the 22nd anniversary of the ACT-SO competition, which was founded by nationally acclaimed newspaper journalist and television commentator Vernon Jarrett, who coined the ACT-SO slogan, "A scholar has a right to be a hero."

The NAACP sponsors the ACT-SO competition each year through its local chapters. High school students throughout the country compete in the areas of science, humanities, and performing and visual arts. Gold medalists from Chicago will represent the city at the national NAACP ACT-SO competition in Baltimore, Md., in early July, where they will compete for college scholarships with 2,000 students from around the country.