Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) has announced that Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School graduate Jordan Fischer has won a gold medal in playwriting at the 2025 NAACP ACT-SO National Competition.
High school students across the United States participate in the ACT-SO program to develop skills in various areas, including visual arts, business, performing arts, and culinary arts. According to PWCS, community volunteers assist students throughout the year in refining their projects and performances, which are then showcased at local and national competitions for scholarships and other awards.
At the 2025 national competition, Fischer, who is now attending Spelman College, earned a $2,000 prize, an iPad, and an additional $2,000 through the NAACP Inspire Initiative Scholarship. Other PWCS students who competed nationally included Forest Park High sophomore Reinalynn Patton in the original essay category and Osbourn Park High junior Gabriel Hamilton in written poetry.
“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,” said Fischer. “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.”
PWCS is Virginia’s second-largest school division and ranks as the 32nd largest nationwide. It serves over 90,000 students across elementary, middle, high school levels as well as preschool and specialty programs. The division offers academic specialty programs including two Governor’s Schools; dual enrollment; Advanced Placement; Cambridge Programme; International Baccalaureate courses; career and technology certifications; robotics; and instruction in ten world languages. It emphasizes sustainability and family engagement with support for 174 languages while fostering partnerships with businesses and community organizations. Led by Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade, PWCS reports a 94.3% on-time graduation rate along with over $123 million in scholarships for the class of 2024.
