Awards were given to top performers in every aspect of academics, from poetry to physics, with a group honor going to Lincoln's Challenge Academy of Rantoul. CHAMPAIGN — The NAACP showed off the shiniest diamonds from "diamonds in the rough" at its Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics awards luncheon Saturday. Bernice Harrington praised the "amazing talents" of high school students from the area who sang, played music, read poetry and danced during the event. read more