Academic Clubs & Competitions

St. Mark offers students the opportunity to participate in a variety of academic clubs and competitions:


Catholic Learners Enrichment Academy St. Rita (CLEAR)
This program is offered to qualifying students attending Catholic schools within the Diocese of Dallas. Students in grades 3-8 are nominated to participate based on standardized testing results. Participants have an intensive study of four courses during a three-week summer session. Course topics, of a divergent educational nature, emphasize hands-on and exploratory learning. On average, nearly 50% of St. Mark 3rd-8th graders qualify for this highly-selective program each year.

Click here for information about CLEAR.


Malayalee Engineers Association of North Texas (MEANT) Math Olympiad
The annual Math Olympiad is a competition in mathematics to encourage young America to learn Math and Engineering and promote math skills among students. It is held in association with The University of Texas at Dallas. Any student currently enrolled in grades 1-11 can participate.

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McNabb Math Competition
Members of the middle school Math Counts team participate in the Greater Dallas Council of Teachers of Mathematics McNabb Competition. 

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National History Bee
Middle school students are nominated to participate in the schoolwide History Bee. Winners have the opportunity to advance to the regional and national competitions of the National History Bee. Facilitators: Ms. Hassie Wortham

Math Counts
Students in grades 6-8 may participate in the national Math Counts competition. Students meet weekly to practice advanced math skills, and compete in national math contests throughout the school year.

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Catholic Math League/Mathfax
Students in grades 3-8 who have a math grade of 96 or higher during the first quarter of the school year may participate in the national Catholic Math League/Mathfax competition, consisting of four nationally-administered tests during the school year. St. Mark students consistently receive Division and National Championship recognitions, among other awards. Facilitator: Mrs. Donna Ostermann

Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA)
PSIA is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit education organization serving all privately-schooled grade 1–8 students in Texas. Offering 59 academic contests in Math, Science, Language Arts, Speech, Social Studies, and Fine Arts since 1998, PSIA remains the most comprehensive academic extracurricular program in America for students in grades 1-8. Students are nominated annually by teachers to participate in this competition. Winners advance to the state level. On average, about 40% of students who participate earn placement in their events, and approximately 14% qualify for the state-level competition. Facilitator: Mrs. Kristen Young

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Reverend Thomas Cloherty Religion Scholars Bowl
One student from each grade level (5th-8th) is nominated annually to participate on the St. Mark Religion Bowl team. These students are well-versed in the Bible and Catholic teachings. Teams compete against other Catholic schools in the diocese. The St. Mark team consistently earns top placements. 

Scholastic Art & Writing Competitions
Teachers nominate students who demonstrate a proficiency in art or writing to participate in a variety of competitions throughout the school year. In a recent Creative Communications' national poetry contest, a St. Mark student's poem was chosen for publication in "A Celebration of Poets."

Science Fair
Students in 7th and 8th grades participate in the annual St. Mark Science Fair. Projects are judged by high school Science teachers and high school AP Science students, including St. Mark alumni.

Speech Tournaments
The Diocesan Speech League conducts three speech tournaments (two practice tournaments and one competitive tournament) that students may participate in each year. Categories include Prose Reading, Poetry Reading, Humorous Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, Storytelling, Oratory, Duet Acting, TV Commercial, and Two-Man Improvisation. Students in 6th through 8th grades are eligible to participate in Speech through the Middle School elective program. They consistently place in their categories. Facilitator: Mrs. Alison Hughes

Spelling Bee
Students in 4th-8th grades are nominated to participate in the annual schoolwide Spelling Bee. The winner moves on to the Diocesan Spelling Bee, and has the opportunity to eventually advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. In 2018 and 2019, a St. Mark student qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Facilitators: Ms. Tina Maw and Mrs. Sarah Salvia

Click here for information about the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Texas Quiz Bowl/National Academic Quiz Tournaments
Quiz Bowl is a game in which two teams compete head-to-head to answer questions from all areas of knowledge including history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, sports, and popular culture. One or two teams of four middle school students compete in tournaments against other schools in the area. The opportunity to represent the school will be determined by performance in competitions held during the school elective period. Teams compete at the regional level and have the opportunity to advance to the national level. The St. Mark team consistently qualifies for the National Quiz Bowl competition. Facilitator: Ms. Hassie Wortham

Click the following links for more information:
www.texasquizbowl.org
www.naqt.com

Visioneering
Visioneering is a half-day event held in conjunction with the Caruth Institute for Engineering Education on the Southern Methodist University campus. It brings together middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades from across North Texas to engage with engineering concepts. Held annually in February, around National Engineers Week, this event celebrates the creative problem-solving side of engineering. At its core, Visioneering exposes teams of middle school students to the fields of engineering, the design process, teamwork, presentation, and problem-solving skills. Teams are mentored by professional engineers and Southern Methodist University's Lyle School of Engineering faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students. Facilitators: Mrs. Liliana Benavides

Click the following link for details:
Visioneering at SMU

Click here to learn more about additional Extra-Curricular Activities offered at St. Mark.