The long awaited tradition Senior Assassin began on March 3, 2024 at Air Academy High School (AAHS). Senior Assassin is a tradition that takes place every spring for the senior class, in which students create groups of two with a close friend or trusted peer to begin the hunt of getting their fellow classmates out of the game. Senior Assassin began to gain a large popularity in 2014, many schools such as AAHS began to implement the game into there various traditions to give the senior class something to look forward for the end of the year.

In Senior Assassin, each group is given a target which you must get out with a water gun. Everyone involved in the game is required to join a group on Life360 in order to view your opponents location. Students are unable to play the game during school hours, school activities/events, and or work. To protect yourself from getting out you must wear swimming floaties or goggles; however, on purge days anyone is free to get out regardless if you have floaties or goggles on.

“Senior Assassin has been something I have looked forward to since I was a freshman. The game overall is just such an exciting activity that gives you an extra push to get through that ending halt of the school year,” senior Avi Kumar expressed.

The sole purpose of Senior Assassin is to get your target out and win the game. Although the game can become competitive it brings together students regardless of there interests or involvement within school. Many groups will create alliances to help get one another’s targets out which adds more excitement and a sense of tension to the game. Throughout Senior Assassin there are specific days that will allow players to get out other teams or individuals regardless if they have them as a target or not.

“I have helped several of my friends try and get their target out to give them an upper hand. Creating a plan and strategy is a big part of the game, although I can’t be in the game this year because I am a junior helping them with the game makes me excited for next year,” junior Will Graham shared.

As lower and upperclassmen watching the seniors celebrate their last year of high school creates a sense of envy and excitement. AAHS creates an atmosphere which allows each senior class to really personalize their last year to themselves.

“While I did have an interest in playing the game, I made the decision to not play because it is very time consuming and I preferred to watch the games events play out from an outside perspective,” senior Leonor Marlow explained.

Senior Assassin is not required for all students although a large portion of the senior class does participate. Senior Assassin requires a lot of driving in order to hunt down your target.  Many people spend time trying to find their target’s schedule in order to create a plan to get their target out. Regardless in catching a target if they are wearing floaties or goggles they are safe from getting out which to some can be seen as a waste of time.

Senior Assassin is a great way to bring students together for one of their last social events with one another. As senior year begins to head towards an end many students need an extra push to finish out the year. Senior Assassin is a great push for both the players and students outside of the game by creating excitement and new chatter for AAHS students!