Senior “Assassin”, a game of water-gun tag recorded and posted to social media, has been a tradition at Communications High School (CHS) for many years.

Seniors have the opportunity to create teams of 2-3 people that each receive a “target”. Their goal is to eliminate this person by splashing them with a water gun. If the person is wearing a water safety device (ie: pair of goggles or floaties) at the time of the attack, they cannot be “tagged”. Seniors must then submit photo or video evidence to be posted on the official

Instagram account for an elimination to count. Senior class president Lydia Olivieri of Colts Neck runs the game for the participants, as well as the Instagram account where rules and eliminations are posted. The process involves extensive planning, and most importantly, an emphasis on the restrictions which ensure the game does not disrupt school activities.

“Running the game mostly consists of communicating well with the entire grade and being organized,” Olivieri said. “I send out targets, determine random event days, make sure that everyone is staying well within the lines of responsible behavior and make sure school is unaffected.”

Despite efforts to keep the game separate from school activity and avoid official association with CHS, Senior Assassin has stirred controversy among the administration.

Even though the game is not officially associated with CHS, the actions of students outside of school still reflect the school’s community, as emphasized in a message by Principal Emily Bonilla to the senior class. Bonilla and other administrators were concerned about the inherent violence of the game and how far people will go in order to “track” their targets.

Many upperclassmen view this end-of-year event as a rite of passage for students. Senior Jordan Denzler of Middletown has claimed to have been looking forward to this event for a while, and believes it is a fun way to bring the senior class together one last time.

“My favorite part is seeing people get out on the Instagram,” Denzler said. “All the pictures and videos are so funny, especially after you’ve known everyone for four years and would never expect one person to get another person out.”

Although Senior Assassin is meant to be an enjoyable way for seniors to conclude their time at CHS, Olivieri stressed that due to the nature of the game, there’s always a possibility for misinterpretation. It remains essential that seniors stick to the rules.

“I have reiterated the importance of how each player conducts themselves in order to ensure the game may continue,” Olivieri said. “I am firm in my belief that CHS should be allowed to continue the tradition due to our mutual respect for each other and the nature of our community.”