Swine Week at Edmond Memorial High School wrapped up this afternoon with the final assembly. All proceeds from this year’s Swine Week benefitted Special Care, a childcare facility dedicated to assisting special needs children. The final total raised was $402,590, which StuCo, royalty members, and others amassed throughout the 2025-2026 school year.

“That’s a big number,” Special Care co-founder Kelli Dupuy said. “When I hear that, I think about how many kids that you guys are gonna be able to help.”

Upon entering the gym, students were greeted by the Swine FM-themed decorations from the hallways as well as the Piggy Vision, the art club’s massive Swine Week mural. The decorations were not the only element that welcomed students and parents into the gym; EMHS faculty and Special Care families invited their children to the assembly, as Swine Week is “For the Kids.”

After a brief performance by Nicolas Swartz, this year’s Swine Stock winner, Memorial’s All-State band, orchestra and choir students performed the National Anthem. After, Swine Week chairs Scout Killackey, Dru Owen and Karmen Wellington introduced Special Care co-founder Pam Newby. 

Newby found inspiration for Special Care after her child was kicked out of daycare because of a lack of understanding of her daughter’s leukemia diagnosis. Newby created Special Care as a safe place for children with or without special needs to be included and educated. 

After Newby, Erin Engelke, the CEO of ReMerge, joined the stage with Carter Carlile, a mother and participant in ReMerge’s rehabilitation program. ReMerge is this year’s common thread, meaning the organization will receive 10% of each Edmond high school’s philanthropy total. Carlile spoke about how ReMerge helped her during her journey to sobriety and regaining full custody of her daughter.

“This week, actually, these past several months, have been far more than just fundraising,” Dobbs said. “It has been about heart, commitment and the incredible power of young people coming together to make a difference.” 

After the speakers from Special Care and ReMerge, Katy Brown came out to host the auction, where one of the highest bids was $1,600. They then announced how much was made from Swine Week royalty, with some groups making over $28,000. Next to walk out were those representing the Edmond Memorial feeder elementary and middle schools, revealing their totals.

Afterwards, Dobbs came on stage to thank everyone who helped her, her co-sponsor, Bekah Joash and StuCo this year. She also explained why StuCo chose Special Care as the Swine Week recipient.

“Walking in and having those kids welcome us with song and dance … just made us feel like such a part of their family,” Dobbs said. “That made it that much more important for us to want to raise as much as we could for them.”

When the Swine Week total was announced at the end of the assembly by StuCo treasurer Gracie Elbow, the audience erupted in applause and cheering. Memorial has not raised over $400,000 since 2020, so many seniors and StuCo members were shocked by the high total. 

“It just feels surreal because we haven’t done that in the past five years, but I’ve never worked with a group that works as hard as our StuCo this year,” senior Swine Week chair Scout Killackey said. “The fact that we can come together to raise that much money. We were hustling all week on our feet … I was so tired, but it’s just absolutely phenomenal.”

All of the money raised by this year’s Swine Week will be used to develop Special Care’s programs. All the money raised was a result of Memorial’s continuous efforts to bring the student body and community together. 

“Getting to know the students here and their commitment, seeing how they embrace kiddos in special ed here at Edmond Memorial, and to see how hard they work and that it comes from their heart has been [wonderful,]” Newby said. “$402,000 is unbelievable, and that will help so many kids for so many years. What is even as good as that is to see the heart and the compassion and commitment of this student body. That has made such an impact.”

Contact Emma Lynch and Paisley Edgin at [email protected]