Every year, the seniors of Gretna High School participate in Senior Assassin, a popular, unofficial, elimination-style game that many high schools participate in around the metro and county. The non-school-sanctioned game takes place outside of school hours, and this year consists of 57 teams of one to three students. The goal of the game is simple: get your assigned target out with a water gun during a week-long period. During this week, another team is aiming to get you out as well. The only way to avoid elimination is to wear a pair of goggles or stay within the agreed-upon safe zones, such as the school, church, work or sports.
“The school parking lot being safe between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. is one of the biggest rules,” game admin Harlee Boyd said. “Another big rule is no trespassing, along with other rules.”
The current prize money pot, after teams were prompted to buy back in after the first round, is a little over $2,000. The initial price to enter the game was $10 per person, which increased to $20 for the second round. Teams were allowed to rejoin the game if they were eliminated or failed to get their target within the time frame.
“The current pot being $2,000 motivates me to win,” senior Sarah Kula said. “I’ve already spent $30, and the money would be really nice for vacations and other things this summer.”
While the game appears to be a harmless activity for students ready to graduate, it brings controversy with it. The game admin, Boyd, is in charge of overseeing everything. She ensures that people follow the rules, such as keeping their locations updated, avoiding prohibited areas and deciding if eliminations are valid or not. With this comes challenges and the impossibility of pleasing everyone.
“We recently found out that in order to enter someone’s house, you need to have permission from someone over the age of 15,” Boyd said. “There was a whole situation about that, and it caused a big problem.”
Later in the game, there will be a Purge Day. During a Purge Day where a player’s goggles do not protect them from elimination like they would normally. The safe zones, however, still apply. The day increases the vulnerability of players and requires a heightened awareness of surroundings and targets.
“The first Purge Day will be Saturday, April 4,” Boyd said. “All safe zones and rules still apply, but goggles are no longer protecting you from elimination.”
The game began on March 23 and will end once only one team remains. In previous years, the money has been split between multiple teams in order to prevent the game from dragging on past the end of the school year. Students can follow along on the Instagram account, @gretnaseniorassassin26, which only follows Harlee Boyd and Paris Hilton.
