Eleven Party!

Tonight, 25 teens showed up to celebrate 11/11/11!  It only happens once a century, so it's a good excuse for a party.  We did all kinds of activities with the number 11, which was a challenge to plan.  It made the Teen Advisory Board and me be very creative!  For example, our prizes for the evening were two pixie sticks for the smaller events (representing 11) and 11 pieces of candy for the bigger events.  

We started with some brainteaser questions, like naming six-letter words that had a double L in the middle or trying to say "eleven" in eleven foreign languages.  Throughout the event we also watched some media clips:

• The scene in This Is Spinal Tap where we learn that their speakers go up to 11
• The heist from the end of Ocean's Eleven
• Inigo Montoya besting the six-fingered man in The Princess Bride (because he only had six fingers on one hand, thus making him a eleven-fingered man!)
• The opening scenes from an episode of Dr. Who titled "The Eleventh Hour" featuring the 11th regeneration of the Doctor.

We also did a little activity where we wrote the "11th Commandment."  Chutima and Michael won with this entry:  "Thou shall not be narcissistic, like bragging, showing off skills, throwing money in the air, start speaking another language, kissing yourself in the mirror, etc."  Other funny entries:

• "Thou shalt not be normal.  It'll be boring."  --Veronica and Shorell
• "Thou shalt not eat macaroni without cheese."  --Chantiel and Blya
• "Thou shalt not read this commandment."  --Grace and Marissa

We had a lot of fun with our 11-item chopstick race, as well.  Everyone got plate and a set of chopsticks, and sat in a line with their team.  The chopsticks represented the number 11, of course, and the teams had to use only the chopsticks to pick up 11 objects and move them down to the other end of their lines.  It was hilarious, and everyone was very encouraging to their teammates who didn't have great chopstick skills.  Team One (in the front of the picture below) was an early lead, but then competition heated up.  It was a close finish, but Team One pulled it out at the last minute!  If we had more time, we would have done it again.

Our biggest activity of the evening was the 11 scavenger trivia hunt.  Internet access was banned, so everyone had to find their information in (gasp) books!!  Only the computer catalog was allowed for a few questions.  All of the questions were about the number 11, of course.  Questions covered everything from the 11th President to Apollo 11 to how November got its name.  Two teams turned in perfect papers, getting all 11 questions and the bonus.  Congrats to Emily, Jasmine H., Marissa, and Grace for having excellent library research skills!

We won't get to repeat this program for another hundred years, so I'm sorry for those who had to miss it.  It was so much fun!

 Everyone loved the chopstick race!  It was intense!!

Two sisters came in identical outfits as the number 11.  Awesome!