As the final weeks of senior year tick away, one event has taken center stage for many students: Senior Assassin. But while everyone else is busy plotting their next move and trying to stay alive in the game, one person has been running the show behind the scenes.
Running Senior Assassin is no small feat. Between managing social media, keeping track of players, and ensuring everyone knows their targets, Josie Caliendo has a lot on her plate. “It’s fun to see the behind-the-scenes of it all, but it is a lot of work,” Caliendo says. “I’m constantly updating Instagram, keeping track of everything, and making sure things don’t fall through the cracks.”
But with a bit of strategy and the right tools, it’s possible to keep things organized. Google Sheets was a game-changer for keeping track of participants, and using a Google Form for sign-ups helped streamline the process.
The planning for Senior Assassin starts way before the first “shot” is even fired. “I made a Google form for people to sign up. It was $5 per person, either cash or Venmo,” Caliendo explains. From there, the process got a little easier thanks to technology. “I used ChatGPT to help assign targets. It made things way quicker than doing it by hand,” said Caliendo.
But even with the best-laid plans, things don’t always go according to script.
“The game was supposed to start, and then the Instagram account for it got banned,” Caliendo said. “It was a mess—trying to create a new account and refollow everyone, plus re-texting people their targets. It was a lot, but I had to stay patient.”
Rather than panicking, Josie took a calm approach. “I decided to take my time and be careful with everything I did. A few days later, I got the account back up.’’
Despite all the behind-the-scenes chaos, there have been plenty of highlights, such as watching her peers try to eliminate each other. “Even though I’m running it, I still get to hang out with my friends as they try to get their targets,” Caliendo explains. “It was nice to see the game from both sides—running it and watching everyone else in action.”
Running Senior Assassin isn’t easy, but it’s a role that comes with plenty of rewards. Josie has some solid advice for anyone considering taking on the responsibility next year. “Make sure you stay organized and stay on top of everything. People will have questions, so just be nice and patient,” says Caliendo.
Even though she didn’t get to participate in the game, Josie has no regrets about her decision. “I don’t regret not playing,” said Caliendo. “I like seeing everything from this perspective. Plus, I would’ve been out right away. ”
From tracking targets to fixing problems on the fly, this year’s Senior Assassin organizer has truly done it all. While others were sneaking around trying to take out their targets, Josie was working hard, handling the chaos behind the scenes, ensuring the game went off without a hitch. And even though it was a lot of work, she wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
