Senior Assassin is a thrilling high school tradition where students engage in a strategic water-tag competition.
Our class of 2025 recently participated in the games, in which a student-run Instagram account was formed to organize the event. Everyone who wanted to play picked a partner and sent a $10 entrance fee to secure their spot in the game. The entrance fee is what the winners will eventually receive, and this year’s prize money was a little over 1,000 dollars.
The game begins with each team receiving a specific target, which is another duo in the game, and they have a week to eliminate at least one of them, all while trying to escape the duo that has them as their target as well. If you get shot with the water gun and not your partner, you are out, but only for that week. To be permanently eliminated, both you and your partner have to be shot.
Goggles and floaties are used as “shields” in the game, meaning that if a player gets shot but is wearing either of those, the shot doesn’t count. Stealth, strategy, and alliances are key, as participants navigate the rules and try to avoid being “assassinated” themselves.
This year’s winners were KC Tibbets and Cooper Kunis, who were excited to receive the huge cash prize.
“I got my money up,” Tibbets said.
Senior Assassin created many fun memories for its players to cherish during their last couple months in high school, and Kunis shares his personal favorite.
“Probably killing Brodie Muse in the parking lot, that was really fun,” Kunis said.
Senior Assassin has been around for years, especially here at Oakmont, and many seniors love to pass on their knowledge of the game and tips to upcoming seniors. Tibbets explains that alliances can be very useful in making it far.
“Create an alliance with your friends so it’s easier to move on to the next week, as you have more people willing to help you and just split the money at the end,” Tibbets said.
After reflecting on this year’s Senior Assassin game, many participants had concerns about how it unfolded. Kunis shared his thoughts on the issues they encountered during the event.
“I’d say we need more purge days and more purge hours to get more chances of getting your targets, since everyone’s always wearing goggles or floaties,” Kunis said.
“[We need] less biased rule makers; the rule makers shouldn’t be in the game,” KC adds.
The competitive nature of the game encourages teamwork, strategy, and creativity, while also helping to strengthen bonds between classmates who may not have interacted much before. The adrenaline-filled chase adds a sense of adventure to the final year of high school, making it a highlight for many seniors.
