BY JOANNA MONOBE
The Westside Express
A new game has started at Los Banos High School called Senior Assassin. It is a high-stakes water gun game in which students can pair up into teams of two. Their objective is to eliminate their assigned targets while avoiding elimination themselves. The remaining pair will claim victory and prize money.
As the name suggests, this game was organized by seniors for seniors. To join, students had to first download the “Splashin” app. This app has been a way for those playing to keep in contact with each other and send updates on the game. Upon registration, each player had to create a team name and pay a five-dollar entry fee.
Once the game began, each pair was randomly assigned another team to target. To successfully eliminate a pair, both players must be shot with a water gun, and the elimination must be recorded and approved. After eliminating a target, the team receives a new assignment.
Alessandra Ortiz, a participant in the game, shared that her experience playing Senior Assassin was very short-lived. She was eliminated on the second day, but she enjoyed her time playing and had fun trying to think of ways to catch her targets.
“My most memorable moment, of course, was getting hit. My assassins just jumped out of the bushes and started shooting, and since I had no water gun or goggles, I just had to accept my fate,” Ortiz said.
In addition, Ortiz briefly touched on the bittersweet feeling of being a high school senior, explaining “My teammate got us the cutest little swim goggles and I loved the way mine looked. It reminded me that these are some of our final experiences as kids”
To keep the game safe and fair, the seniors who organized the game created rules and shared guidelines for players to follow. To avoid disruptions, no eliminations can occur on campus during school hours or at their target’s workplace.
Students are allowed to play in the respective parking lots. However, sports practices, performances and places of worship are all strictly prohibited. Above all, contributors of the game have prioritized safety and respect.
Another student, Jimena Valdez commented that she had never played anything like Senior Assassin before. Her favorite part of the game has been looking for opponents with her teammate. Valdez also revealed that one of the benefits of playing has been the opportunity to connect with other classmates she might not have had the chance to meet otherwise.
Senior Assassin has created a friendly competition for the LBHS senior class, allowing students a chance to bond before graduation in June. It has proved to be more than just a game but rather a shared experience among seniors that adds to the nostalgia of their last year in high school.
