This isn’t the typical  sound of students studying for their next test, it’s the sound of students planning out their next tasks for the Hunt, a wee

klong challenge where they worked in groups to complete various tasks, some in school and some outside. This year, the annual Hunt that took place during the week of ArtsFest is more competitive than usual, with two group teams and a prize consisting of tickets to Lollapalooza. The hunt allows students to gain confidence and step out of their comfort zone through doing various tasks ranging from baking cookies for teachers to singing karaoke at Art In the Dark, a school event.  

Due to the value of the prize this year, many teams participated in the Hunt, including ones who previously lost. A pair of sophomores, Nanak Ofori-Mante and Alethia Ikem tried to win the prize for the Hunt for this year, after not succeeding last year.

NANAK: “I did it last year but I didn’t take it seriously so this year I decided to take it seriously.” 

Participating in the Hunt is also a really big time commitment, and having good time management and organization skills helps teams become successful. 

NANAK: “We had to, like, make slides for each task, and I also have school work on top of that, so I had to make sure I had time to do some ArtsFest things and get all my schoolwork done.”

Another pair of sophomores trying to win for the second time in a row are Aya and Julie. 

When completing tasks, there are various methods available to organize and keep track of your progress. 

NANAK: “First when the tasks first came out, Alethia, my partner, put all the tasks on different slides so it would be easier for us to put the challenges on.”

The Hunt also allows students to step out of their comfort zone, with some tasks involving teams having to do things that they wouldn’t usually do either inside or out of school.

NANAK: “One of the tasks was to ask five strangers to say your slogan, and honestly I would have never walked up to a stranger and asked someone to say something for a school thing, so I think that helped boost my confidence.” 

After doing all the work and putting in all the effort to secure the tickets to Lollapalooza, it did pay off for one group.

Natural sound: Nanak and Alethia being announced at the assembly 

Nanak: “I was surprised because I did not think we were gonna win and I think I just screamed and me and Alethia were surprised, and I think we had tears of joy.” 

The Hunt not only provides an opportunity for students to win an exciting prize but also teaches valuable life skills and allows students to step out of their comfort zone, leaving teams with lasting memories and many opportunities for personal growth. Reporting for the U-High Midway, I’m Carmen Nehme