Muslim Interscholastic Tournament
Encyclopedia
The Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament (MIST) consists of annual Regional Tournaments for high school students in the United States and Canada that take place in Atlanta, Boston
, Chicago, Detroit, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Houston, Southern California
, and Toronto
. The winners from each Regional Tournament qualify to complete at the annual National Tournament.
who had a vision in 2001 at age 18 to start a tournament combining many aspects of the academic arena, including art, writing, and speech, that would bring high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, promote communication, and inspire creativity while gaining an understanding of Islam and Muslims. This tournament would empower high school students by giving them a venue to develop self-confidence and professionalism through practicing presentation, public speaking, and problem solving skills, meet and network with diverse peers who share the same talents, interests, and struggles, express their thoughts and ideas through various creative mediums, learn strategies to deal with stereotypes and prejudices, and develop group camaraderie.
In February 2002, Siddiqi and her core team of volunteers who consisted of officers and members of the Muslim Students' Association
at the University of Houston and alumni of the Muslim Students' Association
at the University of Texas, Austin, implemented the first MIST with 118 students from Houston, Austin
, and Dallas. Due to its success, other activists from around the United States expressed interested in bringing MIST to their cities. In 2003, MIST Regionals were held in both Houston and the Maryland
, Virginia
, and Washington DC region. MIST next expanded to Atlanta and Boston
in 2004, New York in 2006, and Detroit and Toronto
in 2008. In 2010, a new region was founded in Irvine
, California. MIST's first National Tournament was held in Houston in 2006 and consisted of students who were ranked among the top five winners from each Regional Tournament. National tournaments have also been held in Washington DC and Atlanta. MIST currently has over two thousand high school participants across North America.
lasts two-three days, ending with the Awards Ceremony on the final night. MIST currently features 31 different competitions. The competitions consist of six different categories.
Category I: Arts
2D Art
3D Art
Digital Art
Fashion Design
Photography
Web Design
Category II: Knowledge and Quran
Knowledge Test 1
Knowledge Test 2
Knowledge Test 3
Knowledge Test 4
Brothers Tajweed
Sisters Tajweed
Brothers Memorization
Sisters Memorization
Tafseer Test
Category III: Writing and Oratory
Poetry
Prepared Essay
Extemporaneous Essay
Prepared Oratory
Extemporaneous Speaking
Short Fiction
Children’s Book
Category IV: Bracket Competitions
Debate
Math Olympics
Islamic Scholastic Bowl
Category V: Group Projects
Short Film
Nasheed/Rap
Improv
Business Plan
Community Service
Newsletter
Research Project
Science Fair
Scrapbook
Basketball:
Brothers Basketball
Sisters Basketball
In addition to competitions, the tournament features an educational program full of workshops and activities. Both the competitions and workshops concentrate on the year’s theme, which is selected for timeliness and importance. For example, in 2008, the theme was titled “Diversity: Piecing Together a Vibrant Community.”
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Chicago, Detroit, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Houston, Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The winners from each Regional Tournament qualify to complete at the annual National Tournament.
History
MIST was the brainchild of Shazia Siddiqi, a freshman at the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
who had a vision in 2001 at age 18 to start a tournament combining many aspects of the academic arena, including art, writing, and speech, that would bring high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, promote communication, and inspire creativity while gaining an understanding of Islam and Muslims. This tournament would empower high school students by giving them a venue to develop self-confidence and professionalism through practicing presentation, public speaking, and problem solving skills, meet and network with diverse peers who share the same talents, interests, and struggles, express their thoughts and ideas through various creative mediums, learn strategies to deal with stereotypes and prejudices, and develop group camaraderie.
In February 2002, Siddiqi and her core team of volunteers who consisted of officers and members of the Muslim Students' Association
Muslim Students' Association
The Muslim Students Association, or Muslim Student Union, of the U.S. and Canada, also known as MSA National, is a religious organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining Islamic societies on college campuses in Canada and the United States. It serves to provide coordination and support...
at the University of Houston and alumni of the Muslim Students' Association
Muslim Students' Association
The Muslim Students Association, or Muslim Student Union, of the U.S. and Canada, also known as MSA National, is a religious organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining Islamic societies on college campuses in Canada and the United States. It serves to provide coordination and support...
at the University of Texas, Austin, implemented the first MIST with 118 students from Houston, Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
, and Dallas. Due to its success, other activists from around the United States expressed interested in bringing MIST to their cities. In 2003, MIST Regionals were held in both Houston and the Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and Washington DC region. MIST next expanded to Atlanta and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 2004, New York in 2006, and Detroit and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 2008. In 2010, a new region was founded in Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, California. MIST's first National Tournament was held in Houston in 2006 and consisted of students who were ranked among the top five winners from each Regional Tournament. National tournaments have also been held in Washington DC and Atlanta. MIST currently has over two thousand high school participants across North America.
Tournament
The tournamentTournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
lasts two-three days, ending with the Awards Ceremony on the final night. MIST currently features 31 different competitions. The competitions consist of six different categories.
Category I: Arts
2D Art
3D Art
Digital Art
Digital art
Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process...
Fashion Design
Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
Web Design
Web design
Web design is the process of planning and creating a website. Text, images, digital media and interactive elements are used by web designers to produce the page seen on the web browser...
Category II: Knowledge and Quran
Knowledge Test 1
Knowledge Test 2
Knowledge Test 3
Knowledge Test 4
Brothers Tajweed
Sisters Tajweed
Brothers Memorization
Sisters Memorization
Tafseer Test
Category III: Writing and Oratory
Poetry
Prepared Essay
Extemporaneous Essay
Prepared Oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
Extemporaneous Speaking
Extemporaneous speaking
Extemporaneous Speaking, also known as extemp, is a competitive event popular in United States high schools and colleges, in which students speak persuasively or informatively about current events and politics...
Short Fiction
Children’s Book
Category IV: Bracket Competitions
Debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
Math Olympics
Islamic Scholastic Bowl
Category V: Group Projects
Short Film
Nasheed/Rap
Improv
Business Plan
Community Service
Newsletter
Research Project
Science Fair
Scrapbook
Basketball:
Brothers Basketball
Sisters Basketball
In addition to competitions, the tournament features an educational program full of workshops and activities. Both the competitions and workshops concentrate on the year’s theme, which is selected for timeliness and importance. For example, in 2008, the theme was titled “Diversity: Piecing Together a Vibrant Community.”
Themes
- 2008 - “Diversity: Piecing Together a Vibrant Community.”
- 2009 - "Hometown Heroes"
- 2010 - Modesty
- 2011 - Loyalty - The Key to Faith and Citizenship