Every year when college decisions near their end, seniors at Wilcox Highschool begin to let loose. This includes senior assassins, a non-affiliated event with the school that gives seniors the opportunity to create chaos after being locked in for 4 years.
With most of the class being able to drive now, the game adopts a hunt-and-kill style of game. Members of the senior class buy into the game through a $10 fee which goes towards a big pot for the winner. Then, everyone in the class picks a partner and is assigned another pair as their targets. This creates a full circle in which everyone has a target and an assassin. The assassin’s goal is to get to their target by the end of the week through squirting them with a water gun or hitting them with a water balloon. The player must get their own target while also evading attacks from their assassin. Players can see everyone’s locations on a shared Life-360 so they can find their targets.
Each high school plays senior assassins differently. The basic premise listed above is universal for all high schools, but Wilcox plays with a few tweaks to the game. In an interview with the “game master,” the person who runs and organizes Senior Assassins, they list what Wilcox students have to do for the game this year. For example, to protect themselves from being shot, seniors wear goggles on their eyes and forehead, or a floaty on their arm. They are also protected at school and at work if they have a job, as well as their home (unless someone is invited in by their parents). However, none of these protections apply on the “purge day” that happens once a week. On purge day, all protection is off and anyone can get anyone. Most kills happen on purge day as a result of this rule.
As the weeks pass, more people get eliminated. They do have the option to buy back in a maximum of 3 times, with the price increasing each time they choose to do so. This game will continue until there is only one team left.
Sayan Patra is a student participating in the game this year. He gives his input on the game as a participant, stating that “yea I think the best part of senior assassins is getting to know people you didn’t talk to four years,” “I didn’t know my target until now, but we laugh and talk trash everytime we see eachother…it’s a good memory.” Sayan adds however the game can be stressful sometimes as on purge day he “cant leave the house or hangout with his friends as a senior over fear of getting out.” He adds that “it’s fun at times, but gets stressful when you’re trying to leave the house and are surrounded by ten people with water guns pointed at you”
Despite all the good that comes out of a senior assassin, administrators are still concerned.  A letter from Wilcox went out to all parents explaining the game and the consequences of it being played at school. Despite the admin’s concern, leaders of the game are doing the best to mitigate students playing the game on campus, and resulting in extremes to get their targets such as blocking cars off in driveways and camping outside peoples homes. At the end of the day, it’s good to remember that it’s just a game, and to have fun!
Senior assassins will be a highlight of the year for many seniors if played by the rules. The game is a great way to meet new people and make connections before the year ends. This is also just the beginning of a series of senior events ending out the year, which includes senior night for spring athletes, prom, senior ditch day, senior sunset, graduation, and senior sendoff. After all, seniors deserve it after all their hard work and sacrifice these past four years!