Garbage Wars
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We used an activity we called Garbage Wars (after a TV show that I'd never seen). It took about 2 weeks for us to collect enough good garbage. We divided into teams of about 5 or 6. Leaders chose the teams. Each team was given the same amount and types of garbage. I can't remember exactly what. Everyone got about 4 cereal boxes, water bottles, card board, egg crates, newspapers, Paper rolls and the strong rolls that material come on from the fabric store in town.  We also had boxes, bubble wrap tissue paper and toilet paper rolls.

There was a garbage bank kept at the end of the gym with miscellaneous garbage. (Things we didn't have enough of to give each team).  I had an advisor stationed there so that teams wouldn't just grab everything they could carry. They had to say what they were taking the garbage for.

Each team was required to take 5 minutes to plan what they would do considering the garbage they had. They could construct anything they wanted. Each team had duck tape and masking tape. We took about 30 minutes for the construction to take place.  At the end we gave an opportunity for them to talk about their project and what it was.

Some leaders were judges and made sure that each team was awarded some certificate. We had things like The tallest, Most useful, most creative. The activity was fun and youth worked with people they wouldn't normally have.