On March 10, the annual class competition assembly began Swine Week with a bang. With traditions like the Wake Up video and color-coded student sections to new games like the class sing-alongs, each grade could earn points to win, and all money raised went straight to the 2025 Swine Week Recipient, The Comeback Kid Society. 

Edmond Memorial High School’s choir, orchestra and band performed the National Anthem to start the assembly, led by David Koehn. Moving forward, the EMHS tradition of “Can you dig it?” began with each class competing to see who could show the most school spirit by making the most noise. As usual, the seniors’ voices boomed through the gym, expressing excitement and earning a point. Next, Kendal Kelly, the president of the Comeback Kid Society, spoke about the program and its dedication to helping kids in the foster care system. A video was also shown to visually represent The Comeback Kid Society’s mission of easing the transition from foster care to adulthood and providing a community for those in foster care.

Following Kelly’s speech, the first competition was a basketball dunking contest where representatives of each grade used a small trampoline and a basketball to dunk the ball in the hoop. Freshman Ben Bajema and sophomore Cash Brunner were eliminated from the competition first, leaving junior Gage Massey and senior SuKyiahre Rucker to face off. Eventually, with both students tying, the winner came down to the next money run to see which class could raise the most cash. It was then announced that the seniors won the competition.

Moving forward into EMHS traditions, the yearly Swine Week Wake Up video was shown, with members of student council waking up students in the middle of the night and asking them how many days are left until Swine Week. This provided laughs to the audience and showed the humorous aspects of Swine Week.

Following the Wake Up Video, the milk chug and “slip-and-slide sundae” happened simultaneously. Representatives from each grade went up and chugged a gallon of milk, except the freshmen representative who did not show. Eventually, the senior and previous three-time winner, Joshua Barnes, won once more with sophomore Reagan Grau following close behind him. The slip-and-slide sundae is where participants make a sundae, carrying each ingredient from one end to the other on a slip-and-slide. Eventually, the representatives that did win were once again, the seniors. 

Afterward, a new game “How well do you know your best friend?” took place when pairs of best friends from each grade were asked questions about one another and, if answered correctly, a point was awarded to the grade they represented. If the answer was not correct, they received punishments such as nacho cheese or beans poured on their heads. Eventually, the seniors took the win.

A more interactive game that encouraged audience participation was class singing, where each grade was assigned a popular song and sang it together. Whoever sang the loudest ended up winning four points for their grade. Freshmen sang “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel, and sophomores sang “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. Juniors sang “Baby” by Justin Bieber and seniors sang “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie. It was determined as a tie, but the seniors eventually won because they donated more money. 

Ending the assembly, the traditional swag surfing took place, where everyone locked arms and swayed to music. All proceeds from the assembly such as money runs, go straight to The Comeback Kid Society. As the week progresses, there will continue to be events that students highly anticipate, which will help raise school spirit and donate the proceeds to an Oklahoma nonprofit.

Contact Grian Foley at [email protected].