By Sofia Partesotti and Elva Taher
Photo by Kennedy Miller
Senior year is already packed with fun–prom, early last day of school, graduation, senior stroll, and hanging out with friends for the last time. What could make senior year even more fun?
Senior Assassin turns normal days into something exciting, like you could get out at any moment.
Senior Assassin is a game where students are randomly assigned a target using an app called Splashin’. Each round lasts about a week, and the goal is to get out your target, usually with a water gun. As the rounds go on, new rules are introduced with silly ways to stay safe or gain immunity.
Senior Emma Taher, said she got out in the first round without getting her target out. Even though it wasn’t her best moment, she still rated the game an 8 out of 10 and said it’s been fun to watch everyone else play. She also explained that everyone had to put in five dollars to join, so the winner could end up with around $500.
“I would’ve loved to put the money towards a kind of post-grad trip for myself,” Taher said. “I love traveling, so I would’ve had a lot of fun with that.”
“I got my target out in the first round,” senior Lucia Benevento said, “but then right when the second round started, I got out by my sister. There was no defending myself.”
Although she didn’t end up winning it all, Benevento still rated her experience 10 out of 10. Benevento also shared some advice, like always wearing goggles and not staying in one place too long.
Even though some students get out early, the game still brings the senior class together.
“It kind of gets you to interact with people you maybe don’t normally talk to everyday, and it makes it really fun,” Taher said. “I think it’s a wonderful senior tradition, and I love seeing everyone leave their cliques for a little bit to spray someone they don’t know with a water gun.”
Benevento agreed, saying, “When the game first started, everyone was talking about it at school, and that helped people connect.”
At the end of the game, there were three winners. Normally, there would only be one winner, but this year’s senior class winners of Senior Assassin collectively decided to split the money between the three of them. Maevey Bartkus, Owen Laurence, and Catrell Leashore took home the prize money.
Bartkus said that she would wait until the last days for her target to lower guard, then she struck.
Benevento said, “Wear your goggles everywhere, and don’t stay in one place. To catch your target, make sure you look where they are any time you can and try to catch them when they are not wearing their goggles.”
As the rounds went on, the competition became more intense. Students started taking the game more seriously. Some even teamed up with friends or alliances to use team work to get themselves closer to the prize.
The game created a sense of excitement for the senior class, as everyone was involved in some way, whether actively playing or just simply watching from the sidelines.
Although it’s a seniors-only game, it’s not just the seniors who noticed the buzz around the game. Everyone in the school was invested in who would win and was keeping up on the players. This fostered a sense of community within the larger high school.
Even for those who got out early, senior assassins were still something that they enjoyed being a part of. Watching the final rounds unfold was just as entertaining, especially as the remaining players became more strategic and cautious. Almost like watching a live action movie, we were waiting to see who would win it all.
Looking ahead, many underclassmen are already excited to participate when it’s finally their turn. Seeing how much fun the seniors had this year has built anticipation for future games, and students are already talking about how they might play differently. Some say they want to focus more on strategy, and others say they just want to enjoy the experience and make memories with their friends to last a lifetime. But no matter how they choose to play, it’s clear that senior assassin has become a tradition that is sure it will carry on gracefully. As each class adds its own twist to the game, it will continue to grow and evolve.
In the end, senior assassin is much more than just a game. It’s a way for seniors to make the most of the last weeks of their senior year and create lasting memories during their final year of high school. Between the suspense, the fun, and the unexpected moments, it adds something special to an already important time of their lives. As this year’s seniors prepare to move on to the next chapter of their lives, traditions like senior assassins remind them to enjoy the present and make the most of their time together. It may be a simple game, but it leaves a big impact–one water gun at a time!
