June: the time of year when everybody starts to think about prom, class projects, and Assassins! This game has been a part of Highland Park history for longer than most of us have. But what is it, you may ask?
Assassins is a huge, non-school-affiliated game of tag. Every person in the game receives a target and is then given the task to either get their target out by dumping water on them, poking them with a capped pen, or writing a note that says they’re out. The last student standing wins the pot of the other players’ participation fees.
This game used to be played on school grounds only four years ago. Students would chase their targets in the hallways before they could enter their classes, but now we can’t play the game on any part of the school grounds. I mean, I understand the apparent liability of bringing a water gun to school and potentially starting leaks from backpacks, but I don’t understand why we can’t go back to the olden days when students were allowed to play in school with pens.
Assassins is purposely scheduled to occur when school work has decreased and when students no longer have to worry about AP exams. Kids build up stress the entire year with tons of homework, tests, and pop quizzes. It is only fair that they can look forward to the end of the year with a fun game. And yes, I know you’re probably thinking, “Lydia, isn’t that what prom and the senior trip are for?” Well yes, but although Assassins is traditionally a seniors-only game, it is now open for all students to participate in, including freshmen. Not only seniors deserve the chance to blow off some steam as summer break approaches.
Additionally, Assassins is a great way for people to know others whom they might not have ever spoken to throughout the year. I had many upperclassmen receiving random underclassmen as targets and if it were not for Assassins, they would have never gotten to know them. The game unites students even if it does not seem like it. This might not change the administration’s decision to make this an in-school game, but I think it is still worth considering.