Tournament Guidelines

1. Competitions will be run as school-based teams.

   • For questions regarding coalition teams, please contact your Regional Headquarters.

2. Only one (1) team will be allowed per school.

3. Competitors will compete with the school they have current and active enrollment.

4. Competitors may only sign up/compete in one competition per category.

5. Some competitions may be listed under a virtual format. However, Regional Headquarters may choose to run the competition in another format.

   • However, the format in which it is listed in the rulebook is how the competition will be run during Nationals.

6. Many competitions have changed in either how they are run, when they are submitted, or how many competitors may sign up per team.

   • Prepared Essay, Poetry, and Short Fiction will now be run as their own competitions. They will no longer run under Creative Writing.
   • Graphic Design has now been renamed to Digital Art.
   • All other changes are outlined on the main MIST website and in What’s New in 2026.

7. Students registered in a sport or e-sport MUST register for another non-sport competition.

8. Failure to attend a registered competition will result in disqualification from any and all sports/e-sports competitions and point deductions per team member.

   • Per team member, it will be a 5 point deduction from a school’s overall score rankings.