Upper School Clubs & Organizations
Leadership Councils
The following Leadership Councils are school service organizations; students are elected by their peers, and all students who participate in the election must first meet prerequisites set by the Councils.
Community Service Council - The mission of the Community Service Council is to raise awareness of community service opportunities, encourage participation in ongoing and ad-hoc community service activities, and to coordinate, track and document community service projects throughout the Upper School. (Tonone de Sala)
Fine Arts Council – The mission of the Fine Arts Council is to promote awareness of the Fine Arts at Saint Mary’s Hall and in the community and to also engage in campus and community service and charitable fundraising, much of which revolves around the arts. (Bohall/Petersen/Cortellan)
Honor Council – The mission of the Honor Council is to assist each Saint Mary’s Hall student in adopting a life of integrity. The council does so by educating their peers about the Honor Council and the Honor System and by serving as a peer review panel that deliberates cases of potential violations of the honor code. The council not only recommends to the administration consequences for violations of the honor code, but it also serves as an advisory panel on all matters concerning the SMH honor system. (Muller/White)
LGBTQ+ Alliance – The LGBTQ+ Alliance is designed to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for students, faculty, and staff of the LGBTQ+ community. The club offers a way to discuss important issues and educate others on topics that may be considered taboo. The club also helps individuals who are questioning their sexuality and/or gender, and supports those members of the LBGTQ+ community by letting them know that there are allies in our school community. The LGBTQ+ Alliance also helps creates a safer and more included, inclusive environment.
Sports Council – The mission of the Sports Council is to create and organize school spirit activities which the Powder Puff football game, and periodic competitions between the Capers and the Elliotts-SMH's two Upper School intramural teams-ultimately determining the annual winner of the Bishops' Cup. Sports Council's flagship event is Bishops' Day, which occurs every spring, featuring a variety of outrageous and athletic events such as 3-on-3 basketball, Tug-Of-War, and a chalk art contest. (Patino/Vidal/N. Polito)
Student Council – The mission of the Student Council is to organize student activities on campus—elections, dances, Town Hall meetings, out of uniform days, new clubs--create opportunity for campus and community service for all students, and act as the liaison between the administration and the student body, voicing the concerns, wishes, and criticisms of students in an appropriate manner. (Remington)
Student Equity Collective – Ultimately, a Student Equity Collective affirms the belief that all human beings want and can achieve fulfillment in life, and all Saint Mary’s Hall students want and can achieve success in college along with a fulfilling life. The purpose of the Student Equity Collective is to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in our school community, connecting our school mission to the context of our lives.
Honor Societies
Membership in the following Honor Societies requires that students meet the prerequisites set by the individual departments:
Cum Laude Association – The Cum Laude Association recognizes superior scholarship and is the private school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. Up to 20% of the senior class who have outstanding GPAs and SAT scores and new faculty who have Ph.Ds or are already in Phi Beta Kappa are inducted.
Mu Alpha Theta – Mu Alpha Theta “an organization dedicated to promoting scholarship in mathematics and establishing math as an integral part of high school and junior college education.” To accomplish its mission, the mathematics honor society strives to recognize outstanding student achievement in mathematics.
National Art Honor Society – The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) exists to inspire and recognize those students who have shown outstanding ability in art and to foster excellence and a dedicated spirit to the pursuit of art. The NAHS aids members in working towards attaining their highest potential in art through practice, scholarship, exposure, and collegiality. The Society's members continue to develop their creative abilities and talents, and bring art to the attention of the school and community specifically increasing the awareness of art in relation to other areas of the curriculum.
National English Honor Society – The mission of the National English Honor Society (NEHS) is to confer distinction upon Saint Mary’s Hall students for high achievement in English language and literature, encourage interest in English language arts, promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members, and serve the society by fostering literacy. NEHS will be under the sponsorship and supervision of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.
National French Honor Society – The mission of the National French Honor Society is to recognize high achievement in the French language and promote continuing interest in French studies.
National Honor Society for Dance Arts – The National Honor Society for Dance Arts™ (NHSDA) is a program of the National Dance Education Organization, created to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance in public and private schools in K-12 education, dance studios, cultural/community centers, performing arts organizations, and post-secondary education.
National Latin Honor Society – The mission of the National Latin Honor Society is to recognize high achievement in the Latin language and promote continuing interest in Latin studies.
National Spanish Honor Society (Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica) – The mission of the National Spanish Honor Society is to recognize high achievement in the Spanish and Portuguese languages and to promote a continuing interest in Hispanic and Portuguese studies.
Science National Honor Society – The mission of the Science National Honor Society is to recognize high achievement in the various fields of science and to encourage participation in and recognition of scientific thought, to advance student's knowledge of science, to communicate with the scientific community, and to encourage the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
Clubs, Organizations, and Interest Groups
The following are Clubs, Organizations, and Interest Groups open to all students:
Baron Ambassadors – The mission of the Baron Ambassador Program is to create a group of distinguished students, who exhibit honesty, tradition, and moral character, to serve as hosts for prospective students during their day visit on campus. Membership is open to students in Forms 6-12 and is obtained by application through the Office of Admission.
Bishops Society – The mission of the Bishops Society is to help make Chapel an enriching and inclusive experience through education on the topics of world religions, spirituality, and living life well. The organization focuses on getting student input on chapel lessons and broadening the scope of topics covered. Being a member requires attending a monthly meeting, speaking occasionally at chapel, and bringing qualified speakers to campus to inform our students. An application is required for all interested in joining.
Bowling Club – The mission of the Bowling Club is to provide an educational and recreational environment for SMH Upper School students to learn the sport of bowling in both informal and competitive settings.
eSports Club – The mission of the eSports Club is to provide an opportunity for Upper School students to compete in their favorite video games, in a comfortable environment with healthy competition.
French Club – The mission of the French Club is to promote the French language, culture, and civilization throughout the Saint Mary’s Hall community as well as the San Antonio community through various service projects and presentations.
JSA (Junior State) – The mission of JSA, the oldest non-partisan, student-run political organization in the United States, is to educate students on the political process and political issues. At state and national simulations (conventions), students debate important issues while gaining valuable leadership skills. The Saint Mary’s Hall chapter has consistently been one of the largest chapters in the state.
The Latin Club - The mission of the Latin club is to promote an understanding of the history, culture, and language of ancient Rome. The Latin club does this by organizing group outings to movies with classical themes and to museums. The Latin club also supports student preparation for various extramural Latin competitions at the local, regional, and national level.
Literary Magazine (The Walrus) – The mission of The Walrus staff is to gather and select poetry, essays, short stories, art, and photography for publication. All entries are judged anonymously by the student staff and then organized and placed within the publication. All potential staff members must have the advisor’s approval to join.
MUN (Model United Nations) – The mission of the MUN program is to share the goals of the national/international program: “short-term experiential education programs engaging youth in current issues.” Students participate in several MUN conferences and learn about the United Nations through simulations, role-playing representatives from UN member-states, reacting to global crises. Membership includes independent research on current international topics, heated debate and travel to national conferences.
National Forensic League – The mission of the Saint Mary’s Hall chapter of the National Forensic League is to empower youth, through communication skills, to become engaged citizens, skilled professionals, and honorable leaders in our global society.
Robotics/Engineering Club – The mission of the Robotics and Engineering Club is to cultivate an interest in engineering while building new skills, work ethics, and friendships among its members. The major project for this club is to compete in Robotics competitions such as BEST and FTC.
Shield Society – The mission of the Shield Society is to represent Saint Mary’s Hall with pride and integrity. Its members lead tours for all prospective students and their families and represent the school at events held by the Office of Admission. Members of the Shield Society also serve as hosts for prospective students during their day visit on campus.
Spanish Club – The mission of the Spanish Club is to promote the Spanish language and the Hispanic culture and civilization through cultural activities and community service with various organizations throughout San Antonio, e.g. Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity and the Saint Joseph’s and Saint Peter’s Home for Children.
SIG (Student Investment Group) – The mission of the SIG is to teach students how the stock market functions while informing students about the benefits of investing. Students manage an actual equities portfolio. Some of the profits will be used for student financial assistance.
SYA (School Year Abroad) – Although not a club, the mission of SYA is to offer SMH students an opportunity to study and learn in a foreign country, providing them with a deep understanding of another people and culture and the opportunity to achieve fluency in a foreign language while achieving a high level of responsibility, self-reliance, and tolerance as they face the challenges of living abroad.
Ultimate Frisbee Club – The Ultimate Frisbee Club is a student-led, after school sports club with the objective to enable a healthy, active lifestyle, build and sustain intercampus relationships, and provide a safe, competitive environment through the playing of Ultimate Frisbee.
UNICEF - The SMH UNICEF club is dedicated to educate, advocate, and fundraise for the issues, rights and needs of children in 150 countries on behalf of the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund.