St. Croix Prep
Team Building Adventure
Stillwater, MN
SCROLL DOWN TO START YOUR ADVENTURE
Here Are The Rules
Complete as many challenges as you can within the given time frame. Challenges can be completed in any order.
Team members need to stay together throughout the adventure, however, if you are all at the same location and searching for something you can spread out until it is found.
Some challenges may require a few basic supplies to complete them. Figuring out how to obtain these supplies somewhere in the area is part of the experience.
After completing each challenge click the “Connection Question”. Have at least one team member answer the question while you’re at the challenge location, or as you travel together to your next location. These answers don’t need to be submitted, they are simply meant to spark meaningful conversations within your own team. The more team members that talk about their answer, the more connected you’ll become. If you choose to just have one person answer per question create a rotation of who answers next so that everyone is sharing equally.
CHALLENGES
#1: As you approach the end of your journey at St. Croix Prep you will need Courage to go out into the world, pursue big ideas, and make a difference in the world. At your team’s designated arrival time (shown below), get to Kari's Create & Paint Studio and complete the Speed Painting Challenge. When you arrive, each of your team members will receive their own small tile and have a chance to think about the question "what is something you want to accomplish in your lifetime". You will then be given a set amount of time to speed paint your tile in a way that reflects your thoughts on that question. This checkpoint is required.
Teams 1 & 3 - Arrive at 11:00am
Teams 4 & 5 - Arrive at 11:20am
Teams 6 & 7 - Arrive at 12:30pm
Teams 8 & 9 - Arrive at 12:50pm
Teams 10 & 11 - Arrive at 1:10pm
Connection Question For Challenge #1
#2: Anywhere along the way, take a video of your team successfully completing the Whipped Cream Catapult Challenge. Divide your team into pairs. Have one person from the pair squirt a small lump of whipped cream onto the back of their hand. That person should launch the whipped cream to their partner using the “arm catapult” technique seen in the video HERE. The second person should successfully catch the whipped cream in their mouth, or at least catch some of it in their mouth and the rest on their face. To complete this challenge at least half your team should make a successful catch in the video.
Connection Question For Challenge #2
#3: In order to be a difference maker in the world you’ll need to be able to handle stressful situations and have Self-Control. One way to strengthen that character trait is through mindfulness and yoga. Get your team to the grassy area along the river just north of the lift bridge (near the gazebo). Once there, find the yoga and meditation expert that will lead your team through a short mindfulness routine. Once finished, the instructor will take a picture of your team while you all strike your favorite yoga poses. If you arrive and another team is already there, the instructor will help you join in and will confirm once you have completed the full routine. This checkpoint is required.
Connection Question For Challenge #3
#4: Stillwater is considered the Birthplace of Minnesota because in 1848 the first territorial convention that began the process of establishing Minnesota as a State was held here in town. Find the plaque that marks the location of the actual birthplace and have someone take a fun picture of your team next to the plaque while you all hold the “baby” (youngest) member of your team, as if they were just born and you’re all proud family members seeing them for the first time.
Connection Question For Challenge #4
#5: Anywhere around the area find an active military person or a veteran. Then take a video of them watching your entire team doing 10 push-ups, sit-ups or jumping jacks at their feet to show Respect for all they have done for our country. After you’ve finished recording, spend a few minutes learning more about their time in the service before you depart, as a small gesture of appreciation and to gain a better understanding of what Citizenship means to them.
Connection Question For Challenge #5
#6: Research shows that consuming raw garlic can boost your immune system, so take a video of all your team members each chewing a separate raw clove of garlic for at least 15 full seconds. Team members should be actively chewing the clove and not just holding it in their mouths. Disclaimer, although healthy this will likely not be pleasant, which is exactly the point. Because a team that suffers together, grows together.
Connection Question For Challenge #6
#7: Giving to a community through Service not only lifts up others, but it is shown to make you happier as well. Started and still based here in Stillwater is the Share With Others organization, who sells products to advance the front yard sharing movement such as Little Free Libraries, Little Free Pantries, and much more. The organization is run by family members of Todd Bol, the late founder of the Little Free Library. Anywhere along the way buy one small non-perishable item and then click HERE to see a Sharing Library located here in town. Take your item to this “pantry” and take a picture or video of your team leaving your item in the box for someone in need. As an added hint, you can find this box close to a place you would get some really “grand” pizza here in town.
Connection Question For Challenge #7
#8: Get your team to the grassy area just south of the lift bridge and find the parent volunteer managing the “Walk The Plank” challenge. Every team member will be given an open-top plastic cup and you will get it at least halfway full with water. Then as a unified team, line up shoulder to shoulder and have each team member balance their cup on their head. Once everyone’s cups are balanced, hold hands with the team members on either side of you and take a video of your team working together to all take 10 steps forward without anyone touching their own cup (or another team member’s cup) or having it spill. Even though you’re working together, each team member will have Responsibility for their own situation and should communicate with those around them in order for everyone to achieve the goal. If someone’s cup spills make sure to encourage them and then refill any spilled cups and start again as a team. After your team successfully travels 10 steps together you can dump the water on your heads to cool off, and then celebrate your victory!
Connection Question For Challenge #8
#9: When you’re knocked down it takes Perseverance and often the support of those around you to help get you back up. Get to any intersection with a traffic light. Have someone take a video of your team as everyone is standing shoulder to shoulder in a tight clump/circle with your backs all facing in and your arms interlocked. When the light turns green slowly lower the entire interlocked group to the ground until you are all in a seated position with your butts on the ground. Then work together to slowly stand all the way back up while remaining interlocked the entire time. To successfully complete the challenge, your entire interlocked team needs to be standing up again before the traffic light in the background changes to red. To watch a video of a group performing this maneuver click HERE.
Connection Question For Challenge #9
#10: In order to be an effective leader you need to listen to others and understand the stories that make someone who they are. Take a video of your team and any stranger that has a tattoo while they explain what that tattoo means to them or why they got it. The tattoo must be visible at some point during the video. Then thank them for their Honesty and vulnerability in sharing their story with your team.
Connection Question For Challenge #10
#11: Although Stillwater was always a lumber town and had considerable risk to fire, it wasn’t until the great Chicago Fire that locals realized a catastrophic fire of the same nature could occur here and action was taken to organize a trained and equipped fire organization. To honor the brave firefighters that protect this community, take a video of your team completing "Stop, Drop, and Roll" while any regulation/operable fire extinguisher is visible in the background. Be sure to yell each step of the fire safety technique as you all do it together and make sure the fire extinguisher is clearly visible at some point in your video.
Connection Question For Challenge #11
#12: Anywhere around the area, find an establishment that has an animal in it's name and take a fun team picture or video with everyone posing or acting like that specific animal while the establishment’s signage is clearly visible in the background. Please note you’re looking for a place with the animal in it’s actual name such as "The Friendly Giraffe" and not a place that lists an animal as something that is served there such as "Joe’s Spicy Chicken".
Connection Question For Challenge #12
#13: Get your team to Teddy Bear Park here in town and find the large rock cliff located along the back edge of the park. Have your team all spread out along the rocks, just slightly above ground level. Create a fun group pose filled with dramatic facial expressions, fear, or adventure. Then have someone take a memorable picture of your team but tell them to snap it so that the ground is not visible in the picture, giving the perspective that your entire team is up on a high cliff.
Connection Question For Challenge #13
#14: The Vikings are currently undefeated (ok, it’s only been one game) and expectations are high for a possible Super Bowl ring! Anywhere around town find a logo of the Vikings proudly being displayed, worn, flown, etc. Then take a video of your group pretending to spike an imaginary football and immediately breaking into your very best celebratory touchdown dance, while the logo is clearly visible in the background. If you need some inspiration for your touchdown celebration you can click HERE.
Connection Question For Challenge #14
#15: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. When Alexandra “Alex” Scott was just four years old, she created a lemonade stand in her front yard and held her first childhood cancer fundraiser. That day she raised $2,000! She continued to host lemonade stands throughout her community and by the time of her death in 2004, Alex raised over $1 million and inspired a legacy of Compassion and a hope that childhood cancer will one day be cured. To honor those, and their families, who are impacted by childhood cancer, climb to the top of the infamous “Stillwater Stairs”, located next to the Lora Hotel. Once you get to the scenic overlook at the top, take a proud team picture showing off your hands after every member of your team has gotten their fingernails painted bright yellow (the international color for childhood cancer awareness) using the nail polish found in the bag under the nearby bench. For every team that completes this challenge successfully, our company (Team Building Anywhere) will be donating $25 to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation!