Compete

Early Submission Deadline - Extended: April 11th, 2025

Due to Ramadan and the registration period, we offer flexibility for certain event submission deadlines. Contact the registration team for more details.

All submissions must be sent to: mistchicagosubmissions@gmail.com

Category I: Knowledge & Quran

• Knowledge Tests

  Test 1: The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore

  Test 2: Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg

  Test 3: Builder of a Nation by Haifaa Youni

  Test 4: When Hearing Becomes Listening by Mikaeel Ahmed Smith

• Qur'an Memorization

• Qur'an Recitation

Category II: Arts

• 2D Art

• 3D Art

• Fashion Design

• Digital Art (Requires Early Submission)

• Photography (Requires Early Submission)

• Culinary Arts: Baking (Chicago Pilot Competition)

• Extemporaneous Drawing (Chicago Pilot Competition)

Category III: Writing and Oratory

• Extemporaneous Essay

• Extemporaneous Speaking

• Original Oratory

• Poetry (Early Submissions) (Judged virtually only)

• Prepared Essay (Requires Early Submission) (Judged virtually only)

• Short Fiction (Requires Early Submission)

• Creative Writing (Chicago Pilot Competition) (Requires Early Submission) (Judged virtually only)

• Spoken Word

Category IV: Brackets

• Debate

  Topics:

  1. Schools should replace foreign language requirements with computer programming requirements.

  2. Streaming services should be required to release episodes weekly rather than all at once, in order to prevent binge watching.

  3. Provided it is technologically feasible, all new buildings should be required to have rooftop solar panels.

  4. Citizens should be allowed to allocate a limited portion of their tax payments to government programs of their choice.

  5. Social movements should prioritize pressuring key decision makers over altering public opinion.

• Math Olympics

• MIST Quiz Bowl

  Topic 1: Contemporary Politics - The Divided Spectrum

  Topic 2: Confronting Inequality in Health Access

  Topic 3: Al-Aqsa: Past, Present, and Promise

  Topic 4: Marginalized Muslims in Conflict Zones

  Topic 5: The Environmental and Social Costs of Fast Fashion

  Topic 6: Current Events

• Improv

Category V: Group Projects

• Business Venture (Requires Early Submission)

• Nasheed/Rap

• Science Fair (Requires Early Submission)

• Short Film (Requires Early Submission)

• Social Media (Requires Early Submission)

Category VI: Sports

• Basketball (Brothers)

• Volleyball (Sisters ONLY) (Chicago Pilot Competition)

• eSports (SmashBros) (Chicago Pilot Competition)

What is a Pilot Competition? A Chicago Pilot Competition refers to an additional event that the Chicago region chooses to hold beyond the set of required events for Nationals— these are known as pilot competitions. The National Rulebook will not include information on pilot competitions, as these vary by region. Instead, there is a separate section in the our Chicago rulebook page dedicated to pilot competitions, outlining the competition rules.