Senior Assassin is a game played at most high schools. Usually during the last few months of the year, students in the graduating class are assigned targets with their goal to eliminate them. Typically, water guns or balloons are used to eliminate targets. Players are required to keep everyone updated in order to track the game’s progress. Rules are placed to ensure safety and fairness for all seniors.
LHS Rules:
- School Property, including the parking lots, tennis courts and spaces near the building is off limits.
- School-sanctioned events, practices or rehearsals are off-limits unless they are outside of scheduled times.
- Place of work is off-limits.
- All eliminations need to have a video or picture for them to count.
- Graduation parties are off-limits
- Protection needs to be visible to be valid.
- Churches are off-limits.
- Lastly, if you have to ask, do not do it. Use common sense.
Jackson Klawonn is the leader of the 2025 LHS seniors. He first considered this role during his junior year, but another student had already claimed it. Fortunately for Klawonn, he was given the opportunity when that student backed down. Although he does not entirely feel in charge of the seniors, he understands the responsibility of running the game and ensuring everyone follows the rules. Players often express their frustrations to Klawonn, which has become his least favorite aspect of the position. While he has learned to cope, the negativity can be discouraging enough that he periodically feels the need to step away from his phone for a few hours. This led Klawonn to intentionally call for a purge. A purge is when the leader allows that no protection is valid, usually for a period of 24 hours. Klawonn recommends using a water gun that can shoot far without causing pain to the opponent. Regular goggles provide protection but floaters can add an element of fun. It is always wise for seniors to wear goggles even when they think they are safe; that is when they can get hit.
“My favorite part is having the ability to call purge at any moment of the day,” said Klawonn.
On the bright side, he enjoys seeing people have fun. He recommends participating, as it is a thrilling game filled with hectic moments and an overall enjoyable experience. Klawonn finds it entertaining when people work together to set up traps. For example, there was a double kill that occurred at someone’s house while the team was trying to capture them. These moments often become bonding experiences with classmates they might not have been close to before.
Klawonn offers advice to those who are currently playing. Do not be dumb.
“People react differently during this game and make stupid choices because there is a lot of money on the line, but I’d tell people to not let that cloud their mind,” said Klawonn.
In order to play, each student pays a fee of $5. The sum amount is the prize reward to the final winner or the player who had the most kills. At LHS, players are divided into 33 teams, averaging three to four members in each group. Some schools prefer an individual format where everyone plays on their own. Klawonn favors the team approach because it requires more effort to track down targets. They have to figure out their schedules and strategize on where to find them.
Not every senior participates in Senior Assassin and Mark Hajal is one of them. He willingly gave up his spot on a team for someone else who wanted to play and he does not regret his decision. By not playing, people trust him more but he holds the potential to reveal the plans of other teams or to be informed about which players will be eliminated. Some might experience FOMO and regret not participating but Hajal sees it differently.
“I’ll catch up on Instagram, and the videos are really funny,” said Hajal. “Sometimes when someone tells me they’re gonna go out on a kill that night, I will check Instagram to see if they got them.”
Hajal enjoys watching the game unfold while remaining a trusted observer.
Klawonn is not responsible for selecting the next runner-up; that decision will be made by the seniors next year. Who will it be in 2026?
