Senior Assassin Returns!

On Thursday, March 12, 2020, SHS students filed out into the parking lot after school, buzzing with excitement after hearing rumors that school would be canceled for the rest of the week. Friday came early! Then, the long weekend stretched into a week, then two, then the rest of the school year. 

Unfortunately, this turn of events robbed the Class of 2021 of many long-standing SHS traditions: the junior prom, the powder puff game, the senior cafe, the senior sleepover, and the senior dinner dance. 

But one tradition remains intact: Senior Assassin. The high-stakes game has been a staple at Scituate High School, but it is also widely known across the country. The game runs rampant with twisted deception, unexpected alliances, and numerous plot twists. If previous games are any indication, players even go to great lengths–sometimes hiding for hours to chase their targets. 

While competition is a great motivator, is it not the sole incentive behind all this intensity. All seniors have to pay a small fee to play, and the winner gets the collective sum. The proctors this year estimate a $400-$500 cash prize to the last one standing. 

The rules are simple: Every participating member is assigned a target, which is religiously kept secret. Through a squirt gun, one must eliminate the target before the next deadline, which is typically a week. Once a target is eliminated, the victim’s incomplete target goes to their eliminator. To verify an elimination, it must be reported to the account, @shs.seniorassassin2021, and while photos aren’t required, they are encouraged to keep people updated on the progression of the game. 

These rules prevent people from being ambushed in locations without an escape. To keep the game fair, eliminations at work or school (and the respective parking lots) are off-limits. This forces players to find creative ways to ambush and corner targets. 

While the competition is only open to seniors, participating students often get creative and involve underclassmen, teachers, parents, or siblings, making it a school-wide (though not school-endorsed) event. This year’s highly anticipated competition begins after April break and will boast anywhere from 100 to 150 participants. Anyone looking for updates can follow the Instagram account, @shs.seniorassassin2021. 

To those playing, may the best assassin win!