What is MIST? — MIST Bay Area

Our Story

The Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament was first created in Houston, Texas in 2002 by a young woman who felt that the Muslim youth in the community needed a place where they could promote peace and understanding, try to get rid of the cliques that are often seen in high schools, and learn more about themselves and their faith through different types of competitions and workshops. MIST is now proudly hosted in 15 regions around the globe.

So, What Is MIST?

MIST is a fun, educational, interactive program of competitions and workshops designed to bring Muslim and Non-Muslim high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, communication, and other creative skills, all while gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims. We envision a vibrant community of creativity, knowledge, and mutual respect.

How Does It Work?

MIST holds annual tournaments that take place in over 16 regions across the country. MIST currently hosts over 35 different competitions annually within each regional tournament.

Competitions range in categories from Sports and team-based events such as Debate and Improv to individual competitions such as Arts and Writing. Competitors form teams and prepare for competitions weeks beforehand; they then showcase their hard work during an intense weekend-long competition.

The regional tournament winners qualify to compete at a second tournament representing their MIST Region on the national stage! Alongside competitions, students participate in workshops and team-building activities before ending the weekend with an awards ceremony on the final night.

Compete

Win it all

Having a safe space for personal expression is a critical objective of MIST. Every individual has a unique voice. Through our competitions, we strive to validate and motivate our participants to be successful, compassionate human beings. With over two dozen competitions, participate in your favorites and take home the gold medals!

Have Fun

Connect with others

MIST provides participants with the opportunity to meet and network with diverse peers who share the same (or different!) talents and interests, as well as build relationships that can last a lifetime. We welcome everyone of any religion or no religion. Our topics and workshops are geared towards developing critical thinking skills while promoting a greater understanding of Islam and Muslims.

Learn

Increase your knowledge

One of our objectives is to provide a platform to help our participants develop confidence and professionalism by practicing presentation, public speaking, and problem-solving skills. Competitors present their projects in front of a panel of judges and an audience of other MIST participants. All participants have the opportunity to explore and discover unknown talents and hidden potential!