Each year in Panem we put our youth to the test
March 16th was the day to show who was best
The lucky ones are able to make their districts proud
And come home to heaps of riches profound
Now listen as I tell you how the trials went down
We mustered quite early, at 8am sharp
Watched a propaganda video that went straight through the heart
Full of fighting and treasure and bloodlust galore
It was now the chosen ones turn to give an encore
They were given the tools to complete their great deeds
In order to satisfy their candy greed
At 9am sharp we piled into the cars
Drove along twisty roads until some of us saw stars
They contended in the things that tributes should know
Basic knots, firebuilding, and signaling with smoke
Building quick shelters and using pocketknives
Some even know how to save lives
Moving against the clock isn’t a hard thing to master
But tributes quickly learned that they needed to move faster
With only 45 minutes between each challenge
A lesson was learned in good time management
The race for the Cornucopia began with a holler
Tributes tore down the field and grabbed their loot with bravado
When their time ran out and treats still left on the field
The Ventures got sugar to snack on with zeal
At the end of the day when all’s said and done
The players all ranked and the battles all won
We hope that you are wiser from the challenges you met
It is in your coming years that those skills will serve you best
Treasure Hunt is more than just a race to the top
It’s really not about which competitor will flop
Or who gets the most candy or who reaps the most gold
I can assure you that’s not what you’ll remember when you’re old
When you’re stuck on a mountain with nowhere easy to turn
Or shivering in the woods wishing for a fire to burn
Or alone with a friend whose heart has stopped
You will find that these skills have not been learned for naught
Here’s a shout out to the ones who make things possible
Even at times when the plans don’t seem probable
To the crew of artists, good planners, and imagination galore
Who ensure that these adventures aren’t close to a bore
We hope this year’s hunt was something to savor
And as always, may the odds be ever in your favor
By Kat