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MONESSEN - Don't be surprised to see Douglas Education Center students scrambling around town today to collect receipts and menus from restaurants or taking photos of city landmarks.

It's all part of an "Extreme Scavenger Hunt" the school is conducting to celebrate its 105th anniversary and a new class session.

Public Relations Coordinator Tara Darazio said the students will form teams of four to six and try to complete 105 scavenger hunt tasks beginning today.

"We thought this would be a great way to introduce them to everything the city offers and a way to get out and see other parts of the Mon Valley," Darazio said of new, out-of-state students.

She said the session, which began Oct. 1, has the highest enrollment yet, with 180 new students. Many move to Monessen for the school's Tom Savini Special Make-Up Effects Program and the Factory Digital Filmmaking Program.

Darazio said 75 percent of the students enrolled in those programs live in DEC housing in Monessen.

"Many of the kids who move here have no idea what's around," she said.

Among the tasks, teams must obtain a receipt from any restaurant in Charleroi, a fast-food restaurant in Belle Vernon, menus from several Monessen restaurants, a copy of a Monessen parking ticket and a Subway sandwich wrapper.

Some of the photos they will have to take are of three team members with Douglas President Jeff Imbrescia; teams sitting at a bus stop, and at City Park wearing Douglas T-shirts.

"It also gives all students, local and nonlocal, the opportunity to work with one another and socialize, while at the same time acclimating themselves to Douglas and the town around them," Imbrescia said.

"We want the students to get to know the welcoming nature of this region and to learn about the businesses and people that will become their extended family during their time here."

Some of the other tasks will be obtaining a Monessen Public Library and District Center card, visit the Monessen Heritage Museum and join the Douglas Facebook fan page.

The hunt includes a "fill-in-the-blanks" test with questions about local businesses and city landmarks. Many of the questions, such as "What do staff members call Nuzzaci's Pizza?" and "How many booths are there at the Pasta Shoppe?" require visits.

The hunt will end Friday, at which time teams must submit the items they collected.

Darazio said the team that completes the most tasks correctly will win several prizes. She said several local businesses have donated gift certificates for the winners.

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