The Social Lights Community Management Training Program class recently took part in a surprise field trip filled with team bonding and ice breakers – plenty of them. It was an American-themed trip inspired by upcoming 4th of July celebrations, with CMTP students using Twitter to document the fun.
The only hint students were given prior to the trip was that they’d be outdoors somewhere in Minneapolis. The Social Lights CFO Emily Pritchard drove the class – in a remarkable white bus, we should add – to Boom Island Park in Northeast Minneapolis, where they selected different colored bandanas out of a bag to determine who their teammates would be for the upcoming activities.
Pretty excited for #CMTP tonight. First field trip since elementary school!
— Rob LeMay (@roblemay) July 2, 2013
CMTP students selected team names, which included Iron and Lime, Smurfettes, Ruff Riders, and Flamingos. After names were established, it was onto the games. First, students took place in a “Case Race” using pillow cases in what ended up being a pretty intense relay.
Students then participated in a Flippy Cup Tweet Up, where they played the infamous college favorite – with root beer – and tweeted photos and updates of the game.
Challenge No. 3 found students “Spooning Baby Watermelons” in a relay race using a key lime on spoons in mouth. No hands were allowed, so balance, along with team coordination, was key.
The final challenge, which was perhaps most enjoyable for those who did not participate, was the “Gum Pie,” a game in which students had to find a piece of gum – using no hands – in a whipped cream pie, chew it, and blow a bubble. This challenge sparked a lot of laughter – and some really great photos – as CMTP students got more than a little messy. A couple of brave souls took one for the team, taking a pie to the face for bonus points.
Ending the day with a pie to the face #howrefreshing #cmtp http://t.co/gdcrjNJEJX
— Chloe Dan Cunagin (@CHLOE_DAN_) July 3, 2013
When all challenges were completed, teams were instructed to open the coolers their team selected, each containing four summertime items, one for each student. Brands included Heinz, Jell-O, Newman’s Own, Wham-O, Old Navy, Oscar Meyer, and Ruffles – many of which happen to be American-made.
After selecting the items out of the cooler, students were informed of their individual assignments for Fourth of July break, which is to complete a content calendar based on the item/brand selected. This assignment will afford the CMTP class the opportunity to create a content calendar, something that is critical to the role of Community Manager.
After a challenging first few weeks of class that have kept students busy, The Social Lights wanted to treat the CMTP to a trip that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. Students enjoyed the trip to Boom Island Park, having had the opportunity to learn more about one another as well as the creativity that comes with being a Community Manager.
