Student Life

Intellectual

Participating in contests or in individual and team competitions stimulate the intellectual curiosity of SMCS students. A wide 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.  

Geography Bee

SMCS is proud to be an annual participant in the National Geographic Bee.  Classroom qualifying rounds are conducted in social studies classes during November/December, and all sixth through eighth-grade students participate. These classroom rounds narrow the field to the top ten students who go on to compete in the school bee. This contest promotes quick thinking and a knowledge of map and globe skills, history, and geography, as well as exposing students to public speaking and appearing in front of an audience. The school bee is held in front of parents and students every January. A school winner and runner-up are identified. The winner goes on to take a state qualifying test to determine potential participation in the state Geographic Bee in the spring.  The fifty winners of each state bee are invited to Washington D.C. to compete in the final National Geographic Bee.  Please contact Mrs. Bowers (mbowers@stmarycatholicschool.org), school bee coordinator, with questions about participation or the bee in general.

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.

Catholic Daughters of America Education Contests

St. 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 Auxillary 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 last year!

Science, Social Studies, and Technology Fair

St. Mary Catholic School alternates hosting a Science or Social Studies Fair for middle school students so that after three year sof middle school, all students will have completed a project in all three subject areas. Science Fair projects are based on the scientific method. Social Studies projects range from early man to present day. Technology projects involve 3d printing, animations, and robotics. 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.

Interested in Learning More about our Catholic School?

In choosing St. Mary Catholic School, you are investing in your child’s tomorrow. For over 145 years students and families have been entrusting SMCS for educational excellence – spiritually, academically, and socially. We invite you to visit our campus in historic Hagerstown, Maryland to learn more about our school as well as our school community.

Registration for the 2024-25 school year is now open!