As the days count down towards graduation, some Bellevue East seniors take part in the tradition of Senior Assassins, a month-long water-gun tournament that leaves only one left standing. They spend their last weeks in highschool looking over their shoulders and evading other players to finish their tasks: taking out the targets. The game keeps students entertained during the last months of school and into the summer for the cash prize.

Senior Assassins is officially run and played by Bellevue East’s Senior Class. Their president? Senior Angel Dawson. 

“The official ending date of the game is August, but I’m sure it will end by then, especially since the winner will receive $408,” Dawson said.

The large amount of money that is up for grabs for the winning student has been a large motivation for the game. Even as it has slowed down in recent weeks, students stay motivated by the prize.

“I joined the game because of all my friends doing it, and there’s a big prize pool so I’m trying to get the money,” senior Hector Perez said. “I’d probably play it again if I could.”

Throughout the game, seniors try their best to eliminate both friends and classmates whenever they can. So far, the purges, where students are able to get eliminated by anyone, have been the most popular and easiest way to eliminate others.

“Typically, during the purge people are just in their house, but I’ve just been going around getting anyone that’s outside,” Perez said. 

The app used has proved to add an extra layer to the game, as it brings in the component of additional resources. Throughout, students can decide to do things like pay extra to get access to more players’ locations and buy back in.

“We’ve been using it to facilitate the game itself, and it has extra additives to it,” Dawson said. “It has power ups and premium and can give some players extra access and things like that.”

The extra buy-ins have helped many students get each other out, and speed up the challenge. The game started with over fifty players, and now more than half have been permanently eliminated.

“I was eliminated during the fourth round during a purge where a person I thought I was teaming with decided to get me out,” senior Liam Zarp said. “But since I have 8 eliminations, I was able to buy a revive power up to get myself back in the game and I am still yet to be eliminated again.”

As the game continues, the amount of players left dwindles, and seniors have to work harder to continue the game. This game has proven to become popular.

“My favorite part was during the first round when I snuck into Wyatt Wagner’s house to get Cayden Hansen out,” Zarp said. “I had planned with Wyatt to get Cayden out so it was fun to see the plan go into action.”