Intellectual

Participating in contests or in individual and team competitions stimulates the intellectual curiosity of SMCS students. 

Awide variety of contests and competitions are available during the school year.  

Battle of the Books
Sponsored by Washington County Free Library, Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading incentive program for students in grades four through six that encourages students to read interesting and entertaining books while competing with peers.

Destination ImagiNation
Destination ImagiNation is an educational program that teaches creativity, teamwork and problem solving.  Teams from all over the world are challenged to devise solutions to mind-bending challenges in tournament-style competitions.  In 2006 SMCS sent two teams to the Global Finals.  The SMCS team Mind Busters earned the title World Champions!

Geography Bee
SMCS middle school students participate in the National Geographic Bee.  The school winner is given a seventy-five question test that must be completed in one hour.  The test is sent to the National Geographic Society Headquarters in Washington, D.C. to be graded.  Then each state sends one hundred students to its state capital to compete in order to select one winner to represent the state.  The final fifty winners compete in Washington, D.C. in the final contest.

Spelling Bee
SMCS students in grades six through eight participate in a spelling competition to determine who will represent the school in the Washington County Spelling Bee Competition sponsored by the Herald-Mail.  The eighth grade winner of the Washington County Bee competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.  The 2009 Washington County Spelling Bee Champion in the eighth grade division was Jessica Swarner of Saint Mary Catholic School.

Catholic Daughters of America Education Contests
Saint Mary Catholic School students participate annually in the Catholic Daughters of America Education Contest which challenges students to use their talents through art, essay, poetry, photography, computer art, or music to express a given theme.

American Legion Auxiliary Americanism Essay Contest
Each year the American Legion Auxiliary, Morris Frock Unit 42, sponsors the Americanism Essay Contest for students in grades three through eight.  Saint Mary Catholic School students won eight out of the nine places awarded in 2009! 

Science and Social Studies Fair
Saint Mary Catholic School alternates each year hosting a Science or Social Studies Fair for middle school students.  Science Fair projects are based on the scientific method.  Social Studies projects range from early man to present day.  Awards are given to the top three projects at each grade level.

JHU Talented Youth
Many SMCS seventh and eighth grade students are invited to participate each year in the CTY Talent Search sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University for Talented Youth.  To qualify for the Talent Search, a student must score in the 95th percentile or higher on a reasoning section of a nationally-normed test.