Camryn Smith:

The new annual senior activity has started up again: water wars. This sport contains groups of four that go against other groups. This outside-of-school activity is a great way for seniors to end off their high school careers.
Water wars help friends come together and create strategies to get the other team out to advance to the next round. This activity is competitive and all about honesty.
Water wars allows anyone to join, athlete or not anyone can join as long as their team pays the $20 fee to play.
This competition allows people to go against people they usually wouldn’t talk to. It helps people remember each other and make new relationships for one last time in high school.
The main rule for water wars is being honest. If a team member is dishonest, then the whole team is disqualified. This automatically allows the opposing team to advance to the next round. Being honest gets you a lot farther than if you were dishonest.
Once you get a player out, you have to take a picture of you getting them out or them soaked in water and share it on twitter. Once that player is out, they can only participate in planning and not spraying the other team with water.
Water wars also helps with group work. Some may not be a big fan, but this activity is a different way to work on the skill of teamwork. You have to protect your teammate and come up with plans to get the other team out. Planning requires communication and strategy.
This new senior tradition helps students work with group work and thinking outside of the box for a plan to win. Hopefully, this new friendly competition will stay a Utica tradition for years to come.

Makenna Galui:

Water Wars has become increasingly popular over the last few years. It is something that brings the senior class together and can add a fun element to the year. However, it might be actually leading to more problems than most people are aware of.
First, the event is completely run by students of the senior class. Which can cause a lot of controversy within the game itself. There brackets can be set up to be biased and unfair.
When the event first started, there were not enough rules. Luckily, there has been additions to cause less problems with the law and other parents. But this still doesn’t completely prevent students from doing unlawful things in order to win the game.
For example, students will drive on lawns to catch up with an opponent, or even break one of the rules without other knowing.
Water Wars is all about being honest. But I think it is hard to ask a group of kids to tell the truth about being out. It can cause multiple problems and can cause fights within a group or a class.
Additionally, I believe that the game can cause many problems with parents, as well. Apart from the issue with the law, students are also constantly scared of getting caught. This can hinder family events or activities.
I have heard of students who stay out all night and go out very early in the morning in order to catch an opponent. This may lead to stressed out and worrying parents.
Overall, Water Wars can be a great way to end senior year, if it is done right. However, I believe that a group of high school students might take things too far.
I think it might lead to more problems within the class and even in groups.