Every spring, the senior class groups into teams of four to play Water Wars, a bracket style water gun competition where you try to get your opponents out. Each team comes up with a funny, oftentimes-inappropriate name and is randomly placed against other teams for six weeks. Skyline Water Wars has no affiliation with Skyline High School, and is not permitted to be played on any AAPS property
Because of concerns of safety regarding Water Wars, many school administrators publicly denounced the activity at assemblies and with official communications to students and families. “In this day and age, anything that looks like a gun that someone is popping out with can be threatening to somebody,” said Principal Casey Elmore. “A few years ago a student at Huron High School was shot at Gallup Park [during Water Wars].” Violence during senior games is not just an occurrence in Ann Arbor; situations like these have happened all across America. Elmore recommends students do not participate.
Because these concerns are very serious, the game organizers are doing their part to protect the students and community. The organizers report that there are more rules this year than in past years because of safety issues: no activity on Skyline campus, nothing indoors, and no “drive-by” eliminations. One of the game commissioners reports that Water Wars is a trade off between fun and safety, but ultimately seniors deserve a fun end to their long high school experience.
Skyline isn’t the only school in the district to play Water Wars. Both Huron and Pioneer participate in this tradition, while Community has their own version called the Spork Game. District wide, students were sent a similar message about consequences of the game being played on AAPS property. Punishments range from a warning to losing end-of-year senior privileges and suspension.
“I don’t know that I would have said this 10 years ago, but where we are right now, it just feels very risky,” said Elmore.