Student Life

There are several national organizations that sponsor chapters at St. Mary's. They are listed below with the minimum requirements for membership.

Cliosophic Society
The Cliosophic Society is a history honor society for juniors and seniors who have demonstrated exceptional talent for historical writing and the study of history. Grade requirements include maintaining an A cumulative course average through the third quarter in World History and enrolling in an AP-level history course in junior or senior year. Members are expected to take at least four history credits to maintain good standing in the Cliosophic Society. Members of the Cliosophic Society are automatically admitted to the National History Club.

Cum Laude Society
The Cum Laude Society recognizes students of highest academic achievement who have demonstrated good character, honor, and integrity in all aspects of their school life. The St. Mary's chapter may elect up to 20% of the Senior Class; half may be elected at the end of the junior year or at any time during the Senior year, and the remainder at the end of the Senior year. Students must have been enrolled at St. Mary's since the beginning of their freshman year to be eligible for this recognition.

International Thespian Society
The International Thespian Society is an honor society for theatre arts students. Thespians are inducted based on participation in productions (2 full-length, 1 full-length, and 2 one-acts, or 4 one-acts), participation in two different areas of theater, and accumulation of a specified number of points toward membership.

M Club
The "M" Club is an honorary club for varsity athletes. To be eligible for induction into the “M” Club, an athlete must have participated in a St. Mary's Upper School sport for a minimum of three years, earning a varsity letter at least two of those years. Nominations are made by a coach’s recommendation.

Mu Alpha Theta
The National High School Mathematics Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, is dedicated to inspiring a keen interest in mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and recognizing and encouraging students who enjoy and excel in mathematics. The SMS Chapter of Mu Alpha Theta inducts students according to the SMS math class average. Grade requirements are as follows:
Sophomores complete three semesters of honors high school math with an A (93 or higher) cumulative average.
Juniors complete five semesters of honors high school math with an A- (90 or higher) cumulative average. 
Seniors complete seven semesters of high school math with an A- (90 or higher)  cumulative math average. 

National Beta Club
The National Beta Club promotes the ideals of academic achievement, character, service, and leadership. After one semester in St. Mary’s Upper School, students who meet the academic, character, and service requirements may apply for membership. Academic minimums are cumulative weighted grade point averages of 4.00 for freshmen and sophomores, 3.67 for juniors, and 3.33 for seniors.

National Honor Society
The National Honor Society will consider any junior or senior who, after a minimum of two semesters at St. Mary's, has an unweighted cumulative grade point average of 3.80 and accomplishments in and commitment to service, leadership, and character.

National Latin Honor Society
The National Junior Classical League Latin Honor Society is a special designation given to JCL students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and citizenship in Latin. Membership is earned annually based on student performance. Minimum requirements are sophomore standing after at least one year at St. Mary's and a grade of A- or above.

Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica
The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica is an honor society for high school students enrolled in Spanish and/or Portuguese that recognizes achievement in Spanish and Portuguese and promotes interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies. Minimum requirements for membership are sophomore standing with at least three semesters at St. Mary’s and a grade of an A (92.5).

Societe Honoraire de Francais
The Société Honoraire de Français fosters and encourages the study of the French language and culture. To be considered for induction, a student must be at least a sophomore with a minimum of three semesters at St. Mary’s and a grade of A or above.

Tri-M Music Honor Society
The Tri-M Music Honor Society recognizes students who are academically capable and musically gifted. To be eligible for membership, a student must have been in a school music performance class at St. Mary’s for at least three semesters and must be enrolled in a performance ensemble at the time of selection for membership; students must have maintained at least an A- average in music performance classes and must have an overall B average in other classes.
 

The Upper School is led by student leaders on the Student Council and Honor Council. The governance of both councils are elected by the entire student body. Each class is led by a leadership team to organize class events and fundraisers.

• Class Officers
• Honor Council
• Student Council/Pep Club
   

Student affinity groups at St. Mary's exist to create and maintain safe and supportive affinity group gatherings and to nurture and develop respectful and heart-opening conversations for allies in the community.

Asian Student Association (ASA)
The Asian Student Association is a student organization whose goal is to meet, discuss, and enhance overall experiences for Asian students at SMS. Additionally, the ASA educates the community on the intricacies of Asian culture and its diverse perspectives.

Black Student Association
The Black Student Association brings together Black girls at St. Mary’s in order to improve the sense of belonging, celebrate the uniqueness of the Black experience, and educate others on the historical, and cultural contributions of Black people, specifically Black women.

Gender and Sexuality Alliance
The Gender and Sexuality Alliance provides a supportive and safe environment for all alliance members and to help educate others.

Jewish Student Association
The Jewish Student Association aims to promote awareness of the Jewish faith, to educate others on the richness of Jewish culture, and to help eliminate stereotypes associated with the Jewish community. 

Middle Eastern/North African Student Association
The Middle Eastern/North African Student Association supports our students with ties to the Middle East and/or North Africa. The purpose is to create a sense of belonging.

Muslim Student Association
The Association of Muslim Students is an affinity group that brings together Muslim students (or students with a Muslim parent) in order to improve the sense of belonging and to celebrate Muslim culture. 

Four publications, all led by Upper School student editors and committees, receive local and national honors on a regular basis. Leadership can be found in a separate extra-curricular guide. Applications may be made to the advisor of a publication in the spring prior to the school year.

Bella Vista
Bella Vista is the St. Mary’s video publication, which not only documents the goings-on of our school and community but also taps into our creative side with original films. Students on this staff get hands-on experience, ranging from filming to editing. All are welcome to apply, even those with little to no experience. Visit our video page here.  Sponsor:  Mrs. Ragan

Belles Lettres
Belles Lettres is the St. Mary's literary magazine which is edited by Upper School students. It features creative writing and artwork by students from St. Mary's Place through the Upper School as well as all of the annual Mays Award winners. Sponsor:  Ms. Love

Carillon
The yearbook chronicling and celebrating our school community life has been successfully published since 1960. Sponsors: Mrs. Segars and Mrs. Fletcher

Tatler
The St. Mary’s Tatler is the oldest publication at St. Mary's. The student-run high school newspaper is dedicated to providing a St. Mary’s perspective on national and local news for the students and greater St. Mary’s community. Visit our website here. Sponsor: Dr. Robertson
 

In the Upper School, there are several ways for students to get involved. We offer clubs, organizations, and opportunities within a wide variety of fields and interests.

Art Club
Art Club promotes art within the community. The club will sponsor field trips to art museums in the area and host workshops at the school. The club does collect dues to assist in the costs of the workshop. The Art Club conducts one fundraiser each year; the funds will be used towards the workshop.

Astronomy Club
The astronomy club is a group of people who share a passion for astronomy and meet regularly to discuss and learn about outer space.

Belles Melodies
Belles Melodies is a companion publication of Belles Lettres literary journal.  It showcases student talent in an audio format. Students are asked to audition their own original compositions:  music (vocal & instrumental), poetry, and short stories. The auditions take place after school during October and November; recordings take place during January and February. Sponsors: Mr. McHenry 

Book Club
Book Club gathers once a month to discuss, recommend, and enjoy books we have read together or personally during the past few weeks. This is a stress-free environment for students to enjoy reading together outside of the required academic reading.

Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club helps build community over the most important meal of the day. We will support locally-owned businesses and have breakfast together. We will have a fundraiser for Memphis Food Bank and other organizations that benefit people with food insecurities in the Midsouth.

Bridge Builders
BRIDGES unites and inspires diverse young people to become confident and courageous leaders committed to community transformation. Unlike any organization in the Mid-South region, BRIDGES provides students an opportunity to find their voice through unique experiential learning activities that are adventurous, relational and transformative. As a result, participants are empowered to reach across racial and socio-economic divides, are prepared for secondary educational opportunities and careers, and are engaged in civic affairs in their communities.

Chess Club
The Chess Club serves to engage and educate students (as well as other members of our community) in the game of chess. Studies have shown that playing the game of Chess regularly right from childhood improves one’s learning, thinking, analytical power, and decision-making ability. In the game of chess, players learn to do a thorough analysis, research, and assessment of the situation before making any decision. Chess provides the mental dexterity needed for solving problems, analyzing consequences, and formulating future tactics. Our goal as a club is to teach students every aspect of the game, host chess competitions for St. Mary’s students, and provide a space for students to engage in this fun, yet tactical activity.

Climbing Club
Climbing Club is for anyone who enjoys or just wants to try rock climbing, indoors or outdoors. We will meet most Wednesdays and Sundays at Memphis Rox to climb in the gym and also plan weekend and summer trips to climb outside. No commitment is required–some folks climb every session and some just show up as they are able. Everyone is welcome to join on any Wednesday or Sunday or on any of the trips!

Constance Crew
Constance Crew serves the Memphis community by taking students on monthly service day trips to local organizations that need volunteers. The club, named after Constance and her Companions, honors their compassion for others during the Yellow Fever.

Cooking Club
Cooking Club’s purpose is to share cooking tips and recipes, discuss volunteer opportunities, and brainstorm ideas for cooking club events. The end-of-the-year goal for Cooking Club is a collaborative cookbook that include favorite recipes from throughout the year.

DECA
Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is a national student-led organization that “prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high school and college.”

Drama Club, Masque
The Drama Club brings together those who have a love of the dramatic arts. It’s a great way to get students involved in St. Mary’s theatre and to make them aware of the wonderful theatre community in Memphis. Drama Club members are encouraged to join the Performing Arts members in the Greenroom for breakfast on Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. Members are expected to be present for all meetings, help with SMS theatre productions, and have fun!

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Club
Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Club connects students who want to play D&D together. D&D is a fantasy role-playing game. Each player has a character designed by themself that is placed in a story led by a Dungeon Master (DM). It is a fun experience that creates a break from stress and provides an opportunity to make friends, tell stories, and use creative problem-solving skills.

Environmental Club
The Environmental Club offers students an opportunity to participate in school and community ecological improvements. Students implement and suggest ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle, engage in campus beautification, and participate in school and community events and service projects.

Facing History & Ourselves
The Facing History Student Leadership Group meets to have meaningful conversations about tough topics. Our conversations tend to be centered on civic participation and how to be a leader within St. Mary's and the larger community.  In these meetings, students teach, facilitate, speak, and organize discussions with the goal of enhancing civic discourse and understanding on potentially divisive issues.

Film Club 
Film Club offers a place to gain a deeper knowledge of movies, including topics like directing, cinematography, writing, acting, and production.

French Club
The French Club serves to engage and educate students (as well as other members of our community), as we experience the things that bring French to life – cuisine, fashion, art, music, film, etc. Another goal is to make students aware of the Francophone (or French-speaking) world. As part of this, we are also committed to community service, especially service towards French-speaking countries in need (such as Haiti) or French-speaking refugees living here in Memphis. The French Club collects dues and holds crêpe and pastry sales to support events.

Global Club
Global Club's mission is to work to instill curiosity and awareness about local and international issues while furthering global competency development outside of a classroom space.

GovClub (Model UN & YIG)
The GovClub is made up of students who participate in the YMCA-run Model United Nations conference in the fall and/or the Youth in Government conference in the spring. The club provides the organizational structure to make that participation possible. St. Mary's meetings are held periodically during lunch in the months and weeks leading up to each conference. The YMCA holds 3-4 separate Memphis-wide meetings at night before each conference at either MUS or Hutchison. Model United Nations is typically the first weekend of November and Youth in Government is usually the first weekend in April.

INSPire
INSPire will help to spread awareness of mental, physical, and nutritional health around the St. Mary’s community. Through activities, recipes, and opportunities that challenge students to be the best versions of themselves, we aspire to foster an environment that encourages “health of mind and soul and body” at St. Mary’s Episcopal School.

Junior Classical League (Latin Club)
The purpose of the Junior Classical League (Latin Club) “is to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of the language, literature, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and to impart an understanding of the debt of our own culture to that of Classical antiquity.” Dues are collected from each member to cover registration with State/National Organization. Money is also collected for individual events. The Latin Club sponsors Life Blood twice a year.

Knitting Club
Knitting Club offers a quiet and relaxing space to knit, crochet, braid, etc. with friends. We meet twice a month during an O period. Beginner and advanced knitters are both encouraged to sign up, and anyone wanting to learn can certainly find someone willing to help teach them. Items created can either be for personal use, like a present, or can be donated to a local charity.

Mock Trial
Mock Trial offers Upper School students an opportunity to compete in the National Bar Association's high school mock trial competition in which students prepare a mock lawsuit for trial and play the roles of attorneys and witnesses in competitions against teams from other schools at the local, state, and national level. The experience instills the importance of teamwork, preparation, determination, persistence, and attention to detail. Students gain skills such as public speaking, quick thinking, and understanding arguments from multiple perspectives. The team spends about three months preparing the case provided by the Tennessee Bar Association. Mock trial requires commitment and willingness to practice two to three times weekly over a three to four month period.

Olympic Sports Club
Olympic Sports Club is a place for people who either do sports outside of SMS (such as archery, horseback riding, and figure skating) or have an appreciation for and interest in learning more about these sports and supporting their fellow Turkeys. We are always looking to expand on sports, so if there is a sport that you do (and you want some support) this is the place to be! Come one, come all. We’d love to have your support and cheer you on!

Quiz Bowl
Quiz Bowl is a competitive, academic, interscholastic activity for which players attend periodic practices and represent their school in competitions.

Red Cross Club
Red Cross Club gives students the FUN opportunity to build leadership skills through community-focused activities. While in the Red Cross Club, students will be empowered with the knowledge of life-saving skills to help prepare them to respond to emergencies in and outside of school. During meetings, the Red Cross Club will educate students about preparedness when responding to disastrous events, such as tornadoes, fires, floods, etc., and complete activities that positively impact the community. Although many may think the Red Cross Club only focuses on fundraising, responding to disastrous events, and doing activities such as hosting a blood drive or being a blood donor, this is not true! Other awesome activities include writing thank you notes to blood donors and veterans for their service as well as educating K-5th graders about responding to emergencies through the fun book Prepare with Pedro the Penguin and the Pillowcase Project. The Red Cross Club is an awesome way to spend time with friends while expanding knowledge on emergency preparedness and bettering the community!

Robotics Club
Robotics Club offers students the opportunity to compete in the VEX Robotics Competition - Spin Up. This competition challenges students to build a robot that throws discs into goals. The two-minute challenge also contains a 15-second autonomous portion for students that enjoy coding. During meetings, students will gather to brainstorm, build, drive, document, and program their robots. The team will spend 12 weeks building and programming their robot to prepare for their first competition. Robotics club members will meet two times weekly throughout the season.

St. Mary's Community Fund
The St. Mary's Community Fund (SMCF) is a student organization formed for the purpose of educating young women about the importance of philanthropy through hands-on community service, fundraising, and grantmaking. Learn more.

St. Mary’s Is Memphis Club
St. Mary’s Is Memphis Club is a new endeavor led by Upper School students to engage our SMP to 12th grade community in targeted, meaningful service opportunities offered throughout the academic year! The goal of this club is to plan and execute three “days of service” at a local nonprofit organization, such as the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA). This club will meet several times each quarter to plan the event with the nonprofit, communicate the opportunity to the greater SMS community, and debrief the successes and challenges of each SMS day of service. This is going to be a fantastic opportunity to create a student-led, Memphis-focused campaign that engages our parent, faculty, and student community in an intergenerational approach to giving back to the city we love.

Spanish Club
The purpose of the Spanish Club is to promote awareness and appreciation for Hispanic culture through celebration of Hispanic traditions and contact with native Spanish speakers. By connecting with Hispanic culture around us, we aim to develop a greater understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. The club meets several times a semester during O periods or lunch. Members are expected to pay dues and volunteer at tutoring or outreach programs. In the past, we have tutored at Multi-National Ministries, Casa María, Casa Vecino, Centro Las Américas, and Streets Ministries.

STEM Club
The STEM Club offers a place for students to celebrate, share and participate in their passion for science, technology, engineering, and math. While in the STEM club, students have the opportunity to participate in discussions of current events, Canstruction, engineering days, astronomy nights, and lots of other hands-on events. This club celebrates each student's interest by offering her a platform of support and resources to further her passion.

Student Ambassadors
Student Ambassadors are a group of sophomore, junior, and senior students at St. Mary's who host visitors on campus, lead tours for prospective parents and students, serve as hostesses for Open Houses, greet St. Mary's Board Members, and everything in between! Becoming a Student Ambassador is an excellent way for students to gain leadership experience while making lasting connections with visitors on campus.

Theophilus Club
Theophilus Club (meaning friend of God) Club is a place where we will discuss topics with a Christian lens prompted by articles, passages from books, poetry, etc. Anyone is welcome to join, but the objective of the conversations is to dig in with a Christian perspective.

Women in Business
Women in Business inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences while making connections with female entrepreneurs and social media influencers.

Women in Motorsports
In this club, we plan on introducing girls to the field of motorsport through discussions, speakers, and much more on a local, national, and international level.

Yoga Club
Yoga club creates a space for students to talk about yoga, practice, meditate, and much more! Come take a nap or find some movement during the long school day!