After the cancellation of a version of the Senior Assassin game not affiliated with U-High, Student Council has organized Senior Tag, which was played in hallways around school from April 25-29. Senior Assassin involved seniors who signed up shooting their peers with a water gun, and it was canceled due to the water guns being brought to campus in violation of school rules.
In Senior Tag, each player attaches to their shirt a clothespin that has both their name and their target’s name. Once getting the clothespin of their target, they then inherit their target’s clothespin and a new target. The person with the most clothespins wins.
Class of 2025 president Keira Harter said that Senior Tag was being planned regardless of Senior Assassin being canceled.
“I think once that game got started up and got canceled, we were like, OK, we should get Senior Tag started up soon,’ because clearly people are interested in doing something like that, and we want to make sure that they have a somewhat similar experience but one that’s school-sanctioned and safe,” Keira said.
More than 90 seniors signed up for Senior Assassin which began April 7 with an objective to shoot their target with a water gun, “eliminating” them. The game was canceled after Dean of Students Ana Campos raised concerns about water guns being brought to campus, which is against school policies, as well as the potential for injury with off-campus play.
Paola Almeda and Kate Jablonski started the Senior Assassin game after seeing other Chicago high schools participating in their own.
Paola said, “When Kate and I had to break the news that the game had to end, I think everyone was disappointed and a little angry.”
Senior Assassin participant Alex Giles understood the issue of the game being seen as affiliated with the school but was disappointed in the termination.
“It was a conversation starter, especially if you’re trying to get someone to help you do it,” Alex said.
Keira believes Senior Tag provides a similar experience and that it is a good activity to end the year.
“I think that I’ve heard of a lot of my friends, like, talking a bit more with people that they don’t typically hang out with, just because it’s in the nature of the game,” Keira said. “So it’s a good, fun, final way for all of us to kind of participate in something together for senior year.”
