All Fun and Games?
Controversy surrounds UPrep’s senior assassin competition
Photo: Abby Headstrom
Because of senior assassin’s off-campus policy, seniors often find their targets at houses, sports practices and elsewhere. Despite controversy, seniors intend to begin the competition when students return to campus after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
As seniors await the return to campus, they have begun stocking up on Nerf guns and practicing their shots for the upcoming senior assassin competition, a tradition that takes place during the seniors’ final spring in high school.
Although widely popular, the game does not come without controversy among both University Prep’s administrators and students.
According to senior and organizer Ashley Shackelton, senior assassin is a game in which seniors are given targets — fellow classmates — to hit with Nerf gun ammunition. The goal is to be the last senior to be hit.
Starting at UPrep four years ago, according to Associate Director of Upper School Sarah Peterson, the administration discussed sponsoring the game but ultimately decided against it.
“[Senior assassin] can be really disruptive to class and other school things,” Peterson said. “In our experience, there have certainly been times when students have been engaged in behaviors that have been weird or creepy in conjunction with senior assassin.”
In the past, according to Shackelton, seniors have shown up to houses, workout classes and sports practices in search of their target.
Although recognizing areas where the game could become uncomfortable, Shackelton believes seniors participate to get closer with classmates and to carry on the fun tradition.
“It’s like a grade bonding thing, in a sense,” Shackelton said. “A good amount of people do it, so it’s not just like [one] group of friends, which is nice.”
Peterson understands why seniors look forward to senior assassin.
“I understand why it’s appealing,” Peterson said. “In particular, I think that as students get close to graduation, the idea of having an activity that everybody really engages in together [is tempting]. It’s fun, and yet it doesn’t require anybody to do that much.”
Despite its appeal to some students, each year, others choose not to participate.
Senior Melia Hsu credits her hesitation to her understanding of the highly competitive nature of the game as well as a history of inappropriate or “stalker-like” behavior from participating seniors.
Director of Diversity E-chieh Lin noted that students have opted-out because of concerns about the game’s connections to gun violence.
“Our students need to critically think and examine how this game may affect everyone involved,” Lin said.
Lin sees the issue more deeply rooted in privilege.
“Until all of our seniors can empathize and understand what it means to be the victim of gun violence, to hear and understand the experience of individuals who have experienced gun violence and befriend someone or a family member who has experienced gun violence, our community will not understand the privilege of playing this game,” Lin said.
Further, Peterson worries about misconceptions about the game outside of the UPrep community.
“The thing that I think that is more concerning in terms of the link to gun violence is I don’t want there to be a situation when anybody mistakes what’s going on for actual acts of violence,” Peterson said.
According to Shackelton, seniors implemented rules such as single-shot Nerf guns to reduce the parallels to actual gun violence.
Peterson hopes there is a way to find an inclusive game for all seniors to play.
“I just wish there was a way that we could have a fun game like [senior assassin] that didn’t involve bringing weapons to school or stalking people inside their homes,” Peterson said. “I just don’t know what that is.”
Pending the outcome of the COVID-19 school closure, senior assassin is set to begin when students return to campus.
