Talie Folsom | A&E Editor
March 13, 2022
It’s that fateful time of year again where San Clemente High seniors gear up for the tradition of senior assassins. Hundreds of seniors signed up for the game, which runs separate from school and ASB, and there will be a large money prize for the victor.
Each senior registered with a ten-dollar entry fee that will go towards the prize money. The game is run through an Instagram account (@schs_snrassassin22) where the owner of the account assigns each person another senior to “assassinate” or, in other words, shoot with a water gun. Each kill must be recorded, and is judged by the account. If it passes, it will be posted. As the seniors try to get their target, they must avoid being shot themselves. This can be done with the protection of pool goggles and floaties. When a senior is eliminated, the assassin that got them now pursues whoever the eliminated assassin was pursuing, leaving the pool of survivors to continue to dwindle until only one remains.
As the game progresses there are also rule changes that will help more people get killed easier. If a person fails to successfully strike down their assigned target during the first week, their name will be put on a list for “Purge Week” where anyone can kill the people listed. People who want to get their kills up for the “most kills” money prize will take action. After the purge, there are new assignments and the game continues. Additionally, as the game furthers there will be a point where no immunity is granted by wearing goggles and floaties, making mass eliminations a breeze.
“I already got my devious kill for week one, so that means I am safe from the purge list,” senior Cora LaFollette said. “I still have to stay strapped up to protect myself from my person. This game makes people very paranoid because they basically are being stalked.” People are doing whatever it takes to find out their target’s schedules, cars, work, or even addresses. They are willing to do anything for the money prize.
The prizes are as follows: $813 for first place, $463 for second, $347 for third, $231 for the best kill, and $231 for the most kills.
Since the beginning of the game there has been nonstop drama, betrayal, and backstabbing. People have been snitching out others, revealing who is coming for them, or assisting in assassinations. There are also various accusations that have created huge talk throughout the senior class.
“People are taking this game very seriously and would do anything to find out who is coming for them,” senior Charlie Spaeth said. “I was being offered ten dollars to tell people who their assassin was so they could be more prepared.”
Being killed is a rough aspect of the game. “Getting killed is a terrifying experience,” senior Olivia Matheson said after she was killed by Lucas Echeverria. “I was walking into Grit Cycle and Lucas came out of nowhere. I’m pretty disappointed, but I’m glad I don’t have to be paranoid anymore.” If a person is killed, they still are able to have fun with the game by assisting others to eliminate their target.
While the now-eliminated seniors are forced to sit on the sidelines and watch the event unfold, there are still dozens of students in the game. Follow @schs_snrassassin22 on Instagram to stay tuned on the many different assassinations and watch until there is one assassin left!
Good luck out there seniors!
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