As the school year progresses, the clash of clubs grows stronger with each passing second. The bustling of after-school activities can be heard daily from three-fifteen to four. High schoolers hurry to their activities and converse excitedly through the hallways. On Tuesdays or Thursdays, it’s highly likely any of every five high school students will be headed to either the MIST (Muslim Interscholastic Tournament) Club or the STUCO (Student Council) Club. Known as the two largest clubs at BHA, they both have gained quite some popularity among the students.
STUCO, a club that could be considered more of an organization than a club. STUCO commits to giving back, whether it’s to the community or the school. Organizing out-of-school events, charities, pep rallies, games, and drives, all incapsulate STUCO’s impact on campus. STUCO offers a wide selection of opportunities for students due to the many activities carried out within the club weekly. Every week on Thursdays, the STUCO members are separated into their committees: Energy and Environment, Pride and Patriotism, DASH (Drug and Substance Health), and Community Service. Each is given an activity to carry out. Each group focuses on a one-year goal, such as environmental impact.
When asked why STUCO holds importance, President Lena Elnager said, “STUCO is a great club because it brings students together through fun and meaningful projects. For example, in last week’s meeting, about 40 STUCO members from different grades collaborated to create a butterfly garden. Unlike MIST, where most of the year is spent preparing for a single competition, STUCO offers opportunities to connect and engage with others throughout the entire year.
MIST focuses on a short burst of excitement during its weekend, but STUCO spreads the fun and involvement across many events and activities all year long.” As a member of both clubs, Elnager feels there is a clear winner regarding long-lasting impact. The advisor of the Student Council, Ms. Nora Hamed, seems to agree. “STUCO gives students leadership opportunities as they get to work on a variety of school activities. STUCO has the ability to be the voice to communicate between students and admins.” As an advisor for years, she shares her passion for working with the Student Council and helping them grow on many levels.
MIST, on the other hand, while being STUCO’s top competitor, has quite a different role. MIST stands for Muslim Interscholastic Tournament and consists of preparations, tryouts, and planning all for one weekend in February, where every member travels to UTD (the University of Texas at Dallas) for regional competitions or in July for national competitions and competes in several competitions against other Islamic schools, representing BHA to the public, and enhancing school image and spirit. Throughout the year, the club meets to hold tryouts due to the limited number of competitors per category. In addition to tryouts, they conduct preparations as a group to create the perfect weekend full of competitiveness and spirit. Regularly meeting on Tuesdays, the MIST club instills a mission to create the best competition weekend possible.
Through every member interviewed, it’s clear MIST has left an impact, as what they lack in outreach, they reclaim through their famous spirit. Co-President Jannah Iqbal shared that she believes the true essence of MIST comes from their energy and spirit. Co-President Hania Hashmi, who previously spoke on the friendly competition between MIST and STUCO at the Back to School Bash, had much more to say. “I mean STUCO has been here for how many years? And we brought MIST maybe three years ago? And we’re already neck in neck with the amount of people and close to the same number. I think that alone says enough about this ‘competition’.” Hashmi insists that while they may be equal in numbers, STUCO does not have nearly the same impact and growth on the students individually as MIST does.
The question remains: Which club is the better one? It seems this cannot be answered clearly due to the intrinsic opposing natures of both clubs. STUCO and MIST provide equally important but completely different purposes to the students who join them. Co-president of MIST, who also holds the Vice President position for STUCO, Jannah Iqbal, seems to agree. “While I do believe that STUCO is better for being active in the school and for the betterment of the school, MIST is better for individual growth, so it depends on what the students priority is. MIST can offer you individual growth, while STUCO can offer you growth in the school.”
In the end, the choice between STUCO and MIST reflects the personal interests and goals of the student deciding. Whether you seek personal growth or a broader impact on the community, both clubs offer invaluable experiences that aim to shape their members and emphasize school spirit.
