University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt

The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt (or Scav Hunt) is an annual four-day team-based scavenger hunt held at the University of Chicago in May. It is often called the largest scavenger hunt in the world. During Scav Hunt, teams compete to acquire items off a list of approximately 300 items, with each item assigned a point value and evaluated by a panel of judges. Items involve performances, construction, arts and crafts, research, travel and finding obscure objects. Lists typically include at least one item that takes place on the University's main quadrangles while students are in class, a party on Friday night, a cross-country road trip, an item encouraging team members to donate blood, and Scav Olympics, which includes original games and athletic competitions.

Scav Hunt was founded by Chris Straus, who organized the list and judged items with Cassie Scharff, Diane Kelly, Nolan McCarty, and Rick Jeffries.Fact|date=February 2007 Perhaps the most notable item that has yet been completed was from the 1999 list; a breeder reactor in a shed was successfully built on the main quadrangle. [cite web|url=http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu/lists/1999/node2.html|title=Items|accessdate=2008-02-22] The item itself was a joke referring to the "Radioactive Boy Scout" David Hahn. The students irradiated thorium with thermal neutrons and observed traces of uranium and plutonium. [cite web|url=http://www-news.uchicago.edu/citations/99/990519.scavhunt.nyt.html|title=In Chicago, Ph.D.'s Take a Back Seat to a Degree of Silliness|accessdate=2008-02-22]

In 2002, Scav Hunt was the subject of a documentary titled "The Hunt". [cite web|url=http://periphrastic.com/about.html|title=The Hunt|accessdate=2008-02-22] The 2007 Scav Hunt was also the subject of a documentary, "Scavengers".Fact|date=February 2008

Judges

The Scavenger Hunt committee is a registered student organization at the University of Chicago. The list is compiled by this panel of judges, who also do the majority of preparation for the Hunt and evaluate completed items. The judges begin compiling the list almost immediately after the end of the previous Scav Hunt, and continue to add items throughout the year. Judges, of course, are sworn to secrecy of the contents of next year's list.

People who wish to become judges submit an application usually consisting of a sample list and a questionnaire. They are then interviewed by the existing judges. Judges are University of Chicago students, and those chosen to join their number are often previous team captains or perennial participants of the hunt. Actual methods of judge selection, however, are kept secret. Usually, parts of the sample lists of the newly chosen judges are added to next year's list. New judges are generally chosen near the beginning of the calendar year.

Judges and those involved in making the list are the members of the Scavenger Hunt Committee known as "Hot Side Hot." Those who help organize Scav Hunt without becoming a judge are known as "Cold Side Cold", whose members are not permitted to know the contents of next year's list or otherwise participate in Hot Side Hot's secretive preparations.

Notable items

* A team member's umbilical cord, to be eaten by that team member. (96 points) [cite web|url=http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu/lists/2004.pdf|title=ScavOlympics|accessdate=2008-02-22|format=pdf]
* A real live, breathing elephant. (500 points) [cite web|url=http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu/lists/1997.html|title=The 1997 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List|accessdate=2008-02-22]
* A breeder reactor built in a shed, and the boy scout badge to prove credit was given where boy scout credit was due. (500 points) This item was completed, although the team only came in second place. [cite news|title=UC junior wraps up 'Jeopardy!' college title |author=Gary Wisby | date=15 May 1999 | work=Chicago Sun-Times| page=1]
* A zeusaphone. (300 points) [cite web|url=http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu/lists/list2008.pdf|title=The 2008 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt list|accessdate=2008-05-12]

Past results

2008

Previous winners

References

External links

* [http://scavhunt1.uchicago.edu Official Scav Hunt website]