It was named in honor of the Belgian Jesuit Great Plains missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet.

[4] Honors courses are offered in math, English, foreign language, social studies, fine arts, and science, totaling 130 college credit hours.

The entire curriculum is college prep, but there is a full-service learning center to assist students needing extra help.

De Smet Jesuit has won the MCC All-Sports Trophy 11 times in the 21-year existence of the conference.

Recent notable athletes at De Smet Jesuit include Ray Agnew III,[16] Robert Steeples,[17] KeVonn Mabon.

[23] A student Core Team, composed of juniors and seniors who meet during homeroom, is vitally involved in invigorating all aspects of the Campus Ministry program.

[25] All freshmen make the El Camino retreat in which they come to see life as a journey, with role models, heroes, and acceptance of oneself.

It emphasizes peer leadership and ministry to build solidarity, based on the experience of God's love in our lives.

There have also been service-learning trips to Honduras, Belize, South Dakota, and New Orleans, to learn and grow by working with those in need.

De Smet in Prayer (DIP) has a breakfast meeting before school once each week to discuss, reflect, and pray together on living out one's faith as brothers in the Lord.