Spring has officially sprung, and as the seniors of Hingham High School are slowly saying goodbye to their soon-to-be alma mater, they must transform into spies and assassins to compete in the annual game of Senior Assassin!
Every year, among the various end-of-year activities planned for the seniors, Senior Assassin is one of the most beloved and exciting traditions of all. The junior class president at HHS secretly assigns all participating seniors a target that they must eliminate before the next round begins. Once that round ends, if you have not killed your target or you, yourself, have been killed, you are eliminated and will not be participating in future rounds. After each round (about a week) concludes, new targets are chosen amongst the surviving seniors, this continues until only one assassin remains. Emily Kiernan, the President of the Class of 2026, who is running Senior Assassin this year, describes her experience as game director, stating, “There are a variety of rules to this game; some of the most important are no eliminations on school grounds or during sporting events, no eliminations at someone’s place of work, and there must be proof of the elimination.” The rules of this game are to ensure the safety and friendliness of the game. However, at the beginning of the 2025 Senior Assassin Season, several of the seniors have called into question whether a new rule should be added.
Over the years, several of the seniors who have joined their Senior Assassin games do not care as much as others do, so they accept bribes. A bribe during the games consists of the assassin offering their target a tasty treat or a few dollars to eliminate them. Many of the targets and assassins find this as a fun way to get someone out so that both people involved receive something, whether it is an iced coffee or a ticket to get to the next round of the game. However, in the early rounds of the 2025 season, bribery has taken over the games; the majority of participants are getting out with bribes, which can significantly decrease the enjoyment of the game. As of now, no rules have been changed about allowing bribes, but several students at Hingham High are considering implementing a new rule for the 2026 Senior Assassin game that strictly prohibits bribes.
Despite the backlash about bribes, the 2025 Senior Assassin games are going splendidly! As of now, there have been over 90 eliminations and more yet to come. Senior, Olivia Dorn, a participant in the 2025 season, stated, “I love Senior Assassin, I feel that it unified our grade, and it is a fun tradition to end out high school careers.” To add, junior Izzie McGarr, is thrilled for her round next year in the 2026 Senior Assassin, stating, “I am so excited to play next year! I am going all the way.”
Whether it is hiding in a bush or patiently waiting for their target to arrive home, the seniors are having an absolute blast this year in Senior Assassin! The game has become one of the most beloved traditions in Hingham for the senior students; it is an activity that continues to unify the graduating class and allows the seniors to have some fun before they all go their separate ways. So, parents, do not be alarmed if one of your child’s classmates is hiding in your yard with a water gun; and students, keep calm, carry on, and eliminate your targets! All of Hingham High School is excited to see who amongst the Class of 2025 will be the victor of Senior Assassin.
