Leadership & What's Next

Formed as servant leaders. Ready for what comes next.

Leadership at School of St. Mary means service. The school forms middle schoolers as servant leaders: young people with a heart for their community and the skills to lead the way in helping the less fortunate. That formation is not theoretical. Through Student Council, the National Junior Honor Society, interest-based clubs, and student-led service projects, middle schoolers take on real responsibility, pitch ideas to school administration, and see them through from planning to execution.

Student-Led Leadership

National Junior Honor Society

Seventh and Eighth Graders may be invited to join the National Junior Honor Society, one of the highest honors a middle schooler can earn at School of St. Mary. Faculty evaluate candidates on five qualities: scholarship, service, leadership, citizenship, and character, and candidates must combine strong academics with real service to the school community. The school inducts members each May at the Saints & Scholars Honors Night.

Student Council

Student Council gives students a direct voice in school life, promoting service and leadership and building Christian leaders through a structure that grows each year. Eighth Graders serve on the Student Council Board; Seventh Graders serve as Ambassadors, preparing to step into Board roles the following year; and each homeroom elects a representative, so every homeroom from Fourth through Eighth Grade has a voice.

The Council meets weekly, during lunch and recess, and holds Board elections each May for the coming school year. Council members regularly bring their own project ideas to school administration and take the lead on planning and running them (see Leading Through Service below).

Clubs & Activities

Beyond leadership roles, middle schoolers find community in clubs built around their interests.

Band: Open to Grade 4 and up; no experience necessary
UGC Choir: Open to Grades 4 through 8
Chess Club: Open to all grades and skill levels
SOSM Newspaper Club
Role-Playing Game (RPG) Club
Scouts BSA Troop #48
Scrapbooking Club
Comic Club
Seasonal after-school events

Current registration, schedules, and session details for all clubs are available through MySOSM.

Athletics

Middle schoolers compete throughout the school year in the Council IIA League. See Athletics for more details.

Leading Through Service

Service at School of St. Mary is student-led, not just student-assigned. Student Council and NJHS members pitch their own service ideas to school administration and see them through, from Crusader Wear (dress-down) days that raise money for a cause, to bake sales, to service projects students design themselves. Students in Grades 4 through 8 also serve as altar servers at weekly school Masses and Sunday parish services.

Recognized for Excellence

Each May, School of St. Mary honors its middle school students at the Saints & Scholars Honors Night, recognizing NJHS induction alongside citizenship and academic achievement.

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Academic Awards
- Mullarkey Borkowski Math Award: Recognizing students who challenge themselves and strive to grow their mathematical skills.
- Society of Women Engineers Award: Recognizing young women for exceptional scientific ability and dedication, encouraging the pursuit of STEM careers.
- Valedictorian and Salutatorian: Recognizing the highest academic averages across all subject areas in Eighth Grade.
Citizenship Awards
- Knights of Columbus and Lilian Olson Scholarship Awards: Recognizing excellent character, devotion to the Catholic faith, and a genuine love of learning for students continuing their education at a Catholic high school.
- Daughters of the American Revolution and Foreign Legion Awards: Recognizing honor, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism.

Ready for What Comes Next

By graduation, our students stand ready for the high school of their choice: academically, spiritually, and personally. Standardized achievement scores place our students among the top 3 percent of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the top 10 percent of the nation, and our graduates go on to thrive at Lake Forest High School, Loyola Academy, Carmel Catholic High School, Woodlands Academy, and other area high schools.