As graduation approaches, some seniors participate in a non-affiliated school game, Senior Assassin, which takes place throughout the spring and into the end of the school year.
The first round started on March 20, where players have the opportunity to eliminate their target with silly string, along with video proof.
How many rounds is unknown, as it depends on the number of seniors getting out each round.
The student running the game is senior Natalie Hafer, who chose this role to make the game as “fair as possible” while still being part of the experience.
“I did not want to play the game,” Hafer said, “but I still wanted to be involved, so I decided to run the game.”
For Hafer, running the account and managing the game are time-consuming and require about two and a half hours per day.
During that time, she is posting eliminations, answering questions, sending out targets and keeping track of who is safe.
Through all of this, it makes it worth it for Hafer because she gets to see the senior class unite.
Senior Will Cusano joined the game because he had the opportunity to “bond” with his classmates before the year is over and everyone goes their separate ways.
“I thought senior assassin was a great activity to participate in, since most people in my grade do,” Cusano said. “It is fun to be involved in a game that all seniors can get along with.”
As for senior Aaron Heck, he joined the game to have fun with his seniors and to win money.
To join the game, each participant had to pay $5 to secure their spot. Whoever wins the game will receive a total of $805.
The game is being played out on Instagram, where questions are being answered, and videos of everyone getting eliminated are being shared.
Senior Kahlan Hurley prepared for this game by turning off her location, being as secretive as possible in her day-to-day life, and acting quickly in situations where she might be targeted.
“You should not live in fear, and that if someone were to catch me, I would just start to run away,” Hurley said.
As for senior Alisha Linthicum, she is choosing to take action right as a new round begins to ensure her safety.
“I try to get my person early on, so I do not have to worry about it affecting my normal life,” Linticum said.
During the first round, Cusano got his target out.
Once he went out in public for the first time since the game began, he was immediately silly-stringed by his target.
Cusano thought he would be safe since Unified Track is the only activity he really does, so he did not worry.
“The one time I did get out to play pickleball, I did get out,” Cusano said. “So it is kind of hard to live your normal life without any fear of getting out.”