Vote! The WJC Spring 2011 students have made their digital scavenger hunts available via YouTube. We're asking all SIJ/WJC alums to cast your votes by Saturday at 9 a.m. for the best scavenger hunt video. Help your heirs win something cool!
To cast your vote, simply place a comment at the end of this piece with your vote the winning team.
For each team, you'll see their assignment and their video.
SUPER BONUS: Two successful cycles of leapfrog in front of an iconic Washington item made of rock. You must document it!
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Team one:
Visit the official museum/research center dedicated to the life of Pope John Paul II. Get a picture with his hand.
Every sports team in Washington DC has an “official” sports bar. Go to an“official” sports bar for a favorite team of your shortest person. (If they don’t like sports…the next shortest). Display team pride. Eat lunch.
In addition to being a Washington Post columnist, E.J. Dionne, Jr., is a scholar and researcher at a major "think tank" here in Beltway land. Where?
What is "The Big Chair"? Why does it matter?
BONUS! Stand underneath a whale. Speak whale.
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Team two:
Find a pro-DC statehood mural. Use your hands/body to make the shape of your state in front of it.
Take a group picture in front of the Watergate.
The president did it. Bono did it. Bill Cosby does it, frequently. Find, and eat, one of DC's world-famous "half smokes." (Note: If your group contains a Roman Catholic, you may want to do this on Saturday, not Friday. And vegetarians? Find another option.)
One of the cathedrals in Washington features a stone carving of -- yes -- Darth Vader. Can you photograph it? (Cue the obvious theme music.)
BONUS! Touch a moon rock. Try to display what zero gravity looks like.
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Team three:
Visit the statue of the first Roman Catholic bishop (and archbishop) of the United States. Hint: Think “Exorcist” steps.
Eat something journalistic at the appropriately named Post Pub. Try the onion rings.
The official monument to FDR includes a nod to the power of one form of mass media. What is it? Show us.
Visit the legendary piano that President Truman played, with a sultry actress draped across it. Clue: You will probably need help to visit it, unless you are sneaky. Prove that you visited it, somehow.
BONUS! Get a picture with a Giant Panda. Act like bears.
I vote for number three. They were all great though. Thanks for being so creative and short this year. It made it very difficult to select one.
Posted by: Mimi | January 18, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Team 3. Cuz they did leap-frog.
Posted by: Melanie | January 18, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Team one sacrificed the assignment in favor of being overly creative, and you might expect me not to vote for them, knowing how a similar strategy screwed my team over last year. But it made me laugh the most, so they get my vote.
Posted by: Smalls | January 18, 2011 at 02:37 PM
Team 3, they did everything they were supposed to!
Posted by: Sierra | January 18, 2011 at 02:50 PM
Team 3 for sure! They had everything: bonus, super bonus, major points, and a great soundtrack :)
Posted by: Emoticon | January 18, 2011 at 04:45 PM
-My vote goes to team 1 for the egregious and audacious level of copyright infringement.
-Impressed with the girls of Team 2 for allowing a camera to film them up close eating copious amounts of greasy food and then putting it on the Internet.
-I'm sorry to hear that Team 3 was made up entirely of mutes.
Posted by: Moody | January 18, 2011 at 05:47 PM
Team Three gets my vote for being audacious enough to film the piano and for having the shortest submission. (Tip for subsequent WJCers: the shortest vid will always get my vote.)
Best supporting extra goes to the man in team one's sports bar scene, who seems exceptionally pleased with the DC rendition of the Sorting Hat.
And props to team two for the best collective fashion sense.
Posted by: Simone Finney | January 18, 2011 at 07:48 PM
My vote goes to Team 2! I loved the entire group's Ben Chili's Bowl experience. But good job to everyone!
Posted by: Hannah | January 18, 2011 at 08:52 PM
I vote team 2!!
Posted by: Morgan | January 18, 2011 at 09:16 PM
Team three because they looked like they had the most fun!
Posted by: Jessica Puente | January 18, 2011 at 11:14 PM
3, for the reasons previously stated by Melanie and Sierra. The fact that you actually played leapfrog in public is awesome.
Posted by: Zack (spring 09) | January 18, 2011 at 11:41 PM
I always love the scavenger hunt vids!
My vote goes to Group 2.
Posted by: RPotts | January 19, 2011 at 09:46 AM
Team one!!! I loved the creativity. Team three you had a nice soundtrack though.
Posted by: Rebekah | January 19, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Team one. Though I do not understand why only one group actually did the leap frog... so fun
Posted by: The Intimidator | January 19, 2011 at 04:38 PM
I vote for team 2. I'm highly impressed with how close that camera got to the mouths of everyone eating the half smoke.
Posted by: Rachelle | January 20, 2011 at 04:27 AM
I always support my students. I vote for team 2.
Posted by: Jo Ellen Werking Weedman | January 21, 2011 at 02:03 PM
Team 3 for truly PACKING your video tour with the sights and sounds of Washington news and history.
See you next week!
Blessings,
Sue
Posted by: Sue "fast-walker" Crider Atkins | January 21, 2011 at 04:30 PM
I know it doesn't matter anymore, but I vote for whichever team didn't do everything they were supposed to.
Posted by: Topher Shuttlesworth | January 24, 2011 at 01:21 PM