The school administration officially cancelled the off-campus “Senior Splash” game. According to principal Charlie Little, disruptions at the school led to the stoppage of the game on Feb. 23.

“In consultation with the organizers of the game, we have decided it is in the best interest of everyone involved to end the game as of today, before the situation escalates,” Little said. “[It] can unnecessarily put students at risk in these off-campus and unpredictable situations where bystanders may not understand that it is an innocent game and react more seriously to the perceived threat.”

This game is carried out through the Splashin app, which allows groups of people to compete in a water elimination tournament. Teams of four sign up and receive another group as their “target” team weekly. Their goal is to tag one of the opposing team members with a water gun before the week is up.

“I think it’s a super unfortunate situation,” senior Caleb Luong, one of the student administrators, said. “It’s been such a great event over the past few years, and it sucks because I know that so many people have been looking forward to this for the past three years.”

The game operated through its Instagram account, and while the account biography included that it was not affiliated with the school, it was entitled “Vandegrift Senior Assassin 2026.” When conflicts arose between participants who were abusing the platform, students enlisted the assistance of the school administrators to intervene. The association of the school name with the account forced administrators to step in.

“I was really disappointed [with the game ending] because not only was I having a good time with my friends, but I felt like I was talking with people that I don’t usually talk to, which I thought was pretty cool,” senior Henry John said. “I thought it was a cool way for seniors to come together.”

“Senior Splash” is a yearly tradition, and after the game concludes, the winner receives the majority of the money collected, with the rest going to other select players and Relay for Life. Any money sent in for entry fees or for reviving teammates will be refunded through the same process used to pay the fee originally. 

“While we love seeing our seniors celebrate their final year, we’ve decided to conclude this specific activity to ensure our community’s well-being remains the top priority,” assistant principal Amanda Toon said. “We look forward to being a part of other fun senior activities and celebrating the amazing class of 2026 as they head toward graduation.”

Out of the 579 people in the senior class, 268 were registered in the game, creating over 60 teams. Students went to varying lengths to achieve tagging their target, including camping outside houses and even driving to the airport. Many also worked to “protect” themselves by wearing arm floaties or goggles, making them immune, according to the rules of the game. 

“It’s the talk of every single classroom with every single kid talking about some crazy plan about how they’re going to get someone out or stay safe, and it just sucks that seniors won’t be able to participate in it anymore,” Luong said. “The one week we did have was super fun and a really great experience, and I hope that future Vandegrift classes are able to enjoy this game to celebrate their senior year.”