The game of Senior Assassin has taken over Costa seniors since it began on February 17th, 2025. In the game of Senior Assassin, seniors get into pairs and are assigned another pair to target and shoot with water guns. However, wearing swimming goggles around one’s neck makes them “safe”, and unable to be shot.
Other “safe” restrictions include the Costa campus during school hours, religious institutions, one’s workplace, while one is driving, or during a Costa sports practice/game. Most people are targeted and shot at “unsafe zones” such as parties, getting out of/walking to cars, and sports banquets, as long as they’re not wearing their goggles.
When one team gets both of their targets out, the eliminated teams’ targets are transferred to the team who originally had them, to keep the game going.
Costa seniors and active senior assassin team, Karyme Valeriano and Kai Brennan, revealed their plans to eliminate their targets.
“Our original plan was to get our targets, and our target’s targets at a park all together, so we could eliminate all 4 at once.” Brennan explained. “One of them wasn’t free that day, which made the whole plan fall apart.”
The failure of the previous plan sparked the idea for their new plan, resulting in one of the best kills of Senior Assassin 2025.
Miranda Johnson, an unlucky senior, was eliminated at her own birthday party. After taking off her goggles to get a good video of her blowing out her candles, Johnson was shot by Valeriano. She ducked for cover, but it was too late.
“She definitely didn’t see it coming,” said Valeriano. “I felt kind of bad, but she’s our close friend, so she understood.”
Brennan explained what it’s like to have people in one’s friend group as Senior Assassin targets, as all the pairings are random.
“Miranda [Johnson] and I were on a trip together in Big Bear during the first week of the game. I had to pretend like I [was assigned to] someone else and sound really convincing so she wouldn’t suspect a thing.” Brennan revealed.
Luckily, Johnson wasn’t upset after being shot at her party. Valeriano said she “didn’t take it too seriously”, and “respected their hustle”.
But this isn’t the case for everyone. Maggie Gerken shot Chloe Estrin on a “purge day”, which is when anyone can get anyone out, as long as they’re in an “unsafe” area and aren’t wearing goggles. Targets are irrelevant on these days, making eliminations a free-for-all.. Estrin and Gerken had formed a trusting relationship after their time in the Drama/Tech department together, so Estrin was totally shocked when this happened.
“I didn’t even understand what was happening at first,” explained Estrin. “I had forgotten that it was purge day, soI thought it was just a joke.”
Estrin revealed that she was a little hurt when she realized Gerken had gotten her out, but knew it was necessary for the game. Seniors find this game very competitive, as it’s one of their last hurrahs as a class before leaving for college.
Each year, one senior takes it upon themselves to run the whole game and update the Senior Assassin instagram account as people get eliminated. Valeriano said that last year, some she knew was running Senior Assassin, and other seniors tended to overstep boundaries.
“Someone came to her house and demanded his elimination video be taken down, because he felt it wasn’t fair.” she said. “I just think that’s kinda crazy.”
As time goes on and more seniors get eliminated, we get closer to finding out who is the winner of Senior Assassin 2025.
“No one should take it too seriously, it’s all just fun and games.” said Valelriano.
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