Spy Scanvenger Hunt

I did a scavenger hunt for a manga program a couple of years ago, but I simply adapted another scavenger hunt to make it manga-themed.  This summer I wrote my own scavenger hunt from scratch, and I was quite pleased with the way the program went, in spite of the low attendance.  I plan on reusing this hunt in a couple of years.

My trip to the fabulous International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, inspired the spy-themed scavenger hunt.  When the teens arrived, I had them choose and memorise a cover identity, and then disguise themselves.  There was a box of sunglasses, scarves, etc., for them to choose from and a couple of eyeliner pencils for drawing moustaches.  In typical fashion, the teens eschewed moustaches in favour of scars and tattoos.  The younger teens went all out dressing up, which earned them bonus points for their team.  When everyone was ready, each team opened their first envelope, and the hunt was on.  They had to build a listening bug out of paper clips, erasers and marshmallows; write a message in invisible ink (lemon juice), find a dead drop hidden in the library, and crack a coded message.

I got the rest of the library staff involved by making them secret contacts.  Each team was given a different set of passwords.  They had to find their contact and exchange passwords to receive their next clue.  The circulation staff begrudgingly allowed themselves to be roped into doing this, but once the scavenger hunt started, they enjoyed it.  Since there were only two teens, not all the staff got to participate, and the ones who didn't seemed a little disappointed they didn't get to say the password they'd so carefully memorised.

After they'd completed the scavenger hunt, the teens had to take a cover identity quiz.  Their score determined whether they'd survived their spy mission or suffered a ghastly fate.  Everyone survived.  I tallied up the points, and the winners got a book from my prize box.  Everyone got giant freezies.