Muslim Interscholastic Tournament

The Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST) is an annual three-day competition that takes place in multiple regions across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2002 in Houston, Texas, MIST brings together Muslim high school students to participate in a variety of academic, artistic, and athletic competitions. The event aims to promote personal development, foster community engagement, and encourage a deeper understanding of Islamic values among youth.

Overview

MIST operates on two levels: regional tournaments and a national tournament. Regional competitions serve as qualifiers and are typically held over a single weekend or spread across two weekends, involving preliminary rounds and an awards ceremony. Top performers from regional events advance to the national tournament, which occurs over three consecutive days during the summer.

History

Founded in 2002 by Shazia Siddiqi in Houston, Texas, MIST began as a local initiative to provide Muslim high school students with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth through competition and collaboration. Since its inception, the tournament has expanded significantly, now encompassing over 20 regions in North America. The organization is entirely volunteer-run and continues to grow in participation and scope each year.

Competitions

MIST features a wide array of competitions categorized into knowledge, arts, writing and oratory, brackets, group projects, and sports. The competitions are designed to cater to diverse talents and interests, encouraging students to showcase their abilities in various fields.

^[1] Category I: Knowledge and Quran

Knowledge Tests
Quran Memorization

Category II: Arts

2D Art
3D Art
Fashion Design
Graphic Design
Photography

Category III: Writing and Oratory

Extemporaneous Essay
Extemporaneous Speaking
Original Oratory
Poetry
Prepared Essay
Short Fiction
Spoken Word

Category IV: Brackets

Debate
Math Olympics
MIST Quiz Bowl
Improv

Category V: Group Projects

Business Venture
Nasheed
Humanitarian Service (formerly Community Service)
Science Fair
Short Film
Social Media

Category VI: Sports

Basketball

Participation

Regions

Below is a list of regions that host their own regional tournaments and participate in the national tournament, listed alphabetically.

Notable participants

One of MIST's notable alumni is Noor Tagouri, a Libyan American journalist known for her work on documentaries such as "The Trouble They've Seen: The Forest Haven Story" and "Sold in America". Tagouri participated in MIST as a high school student and has since served as a keynote speaker at multiple MIST events, including MIST Chicago in 2016.

Demographics

As of 2007, MIST participants were predominantly of South Asian descent (60%), followed by Arab (20%), Black (17%), and other ethnicities (3%). In terms of religious affiliation, approximately 82% identified as Sunni Muslim, 15% as Shia Muslim, and 3% were non-Muslim.^[2]

National Tournament

The top 3, 4, or 5 competitors in a competition at a regional tournament qualifies for the National Tournament. National Tournaments take place in a different city each year.

2011: Atlanta
2012: Toronto
2013: Detroit
2014: Washington DC
2015: Houston
2016: Toronto
2017: Detroit
2018: New York
2019: Baltimore
The 2020 National Tournament was slated to take place in Chicago; it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2021 National Tournament was conducted online.
2022: New Jersey
2023: North Carolina
2024: Atlanta

Preparation and Organization

Preparation for MIST begins in November when regional organizers plan events, secure venues, and recruit volunteers. High school students register in the winter and begin preparing for their selected competitions. Regional tournaments typically occur in late March or early April, while the national tournament takes place between July and August.

References

^ Fatime, Rana (2018). Official MIST 2018 Rulebook. p. 3.
^ Khan, Shaza. De-MIST-Ifying the Adolescent Development of Muslim American High School Students: A Qualitative Study of Schooling and Youth Programming Experiences of Participants in the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament. Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2009, De-MIST-Ifying the Adolescent Development of Muslim American High School Students: A Qualitative Study of Schooling and Youth Programming Experiences of Participants in the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament

External links

Official MIST Website

[1] Fatime, Rana (2018). Official MIST 2018 Rulebook. p. 3.

[2] Khan, Shaza. De-MIST-Ifying the Adolescent Development of Muslim American High School Students: A Qualitative Study of Schooling and Youth Programming Experiences of Participants in the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament. Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2009, De-MIST-Ifying the Adolescent Development of Muslim American High School Students: A Qualitative Study of Schooling and Youth Programming Experiences of Participants in the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament

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