Senior Assassin, a tradition here at Manitou and most other high schools in the area, has been underway for Manitou seniors since April 3. MSHS has participated since the 2021-2022 school year.  Senior Assassin is a game where teams of two seniors choose to compete with other teams to get the most “kills” and remain the last team standing, earning them a cash prize. 

Joseph and Emily Waite (12) are in the lead with the most kills. “My strategy for remaining in the game would be playing it low but also being really sneaky with my attacks,” Joseph Waite said. “I prefer a pistol because it’s small and effective. You know, I can hide it and they won’t suspect me.”

If there is still more than one team remaining on May 12, as it is seniors’ last day, the game will end and the team with the most kills will win. 

The rules to participate in the game are listed on the MSHS 2023 Senior Assassin Instagram page. Each week, teams are assigned a target team for them to kill. In order for a kill to count, it must be caught on video; and players must kill both members of a team to fully eliminate it. 

Certain safe zones apply when players are at practice, work and school. Players are immune when wearing swim goggles on their head or neck. 

Additionally, there is one randomly generated purge day throughout each week, where immunity goggles do not protect players and each group is fair game. “On purge days, I avoid going somewhere for lunch; or really just if I’m not going to kill someone on the first day out, I’ll just play it safe and go home,” Joseph Waite said. 

The price to participate in the game is $5 per person, making the grand prize $260. A new addition to the game was recently added that will up the grand prize, as participants can pay $10 or $5 to place a team/player to a ‘bounty board”. This board would make anyone in the game able to “kill” the listed targets, although swim goggles will still protect the target.

Ayla Flett, a MSHS senior runs the game as she determines the rules, assigns targets, runs the Instagram page and determines purge day. Setting a strict and straightforward set of rules was very important to the game, as it kept the participants on the same page and allows the judges to strategically approve/decline “kills”.

“Student Council Senior Class Secretary picks the targets since she is not involved in the game,” Flett said. More than half of the seniors are participating, and to keep the teams and participants at peace, a senior who is not participating picks the teams by randomizing the list of current teams.

All seniors are allowed to participate, giving a great way for the graduating class to come together as the year comes to an end. “Watching students get competitive and play against each other has been so much fun,” Flett said. 

“Everyone has a great time and it is a fun way to end the year,” Flett said. Seniors are excited to see the outcome of the game as they attempt to win, and cannot wait for the last day.