After a week of fundraising and fun activities, the wolf pack raised a grand total of $204,060.58.
The winning band of Wolf Stock, Suspension, performed while students filtered through the doors. After everyone found a seat, Senior Brookelyn Kirby sang the national anthem. Following the hymn, Philanthrope chairs Sharrin Jones and Sara Hassan welcomed the executive director of FCAO, Sarah Herrian, down to the floor to talk about the cause.
“We are so filled with gratitude to be picked by Santa Fe,” Herrian expressed to the crowd. “This partnership means the world to us.”
This year’s recipient, the Foster Care and Adoption Association (FCAO), focuses on serving resources to foster children and adoptive families. Each year Santa Fe chooses a recipient and collectively the three Edmond High Schools choose a common thread charity. This year’s common thread, Project 66, is a nonprofit food pantry that provides food and resources to families who don’t have methods to get the supplies. The common thread charity receives 5% of the proceeds from all three high schools’ fundraising totals.
Michael Walker, with Project 66, spoke to the crowd about the nonprofit before multiple students were selected from the crowd to play a game of tug of war over a pool of instant mashed potatoes. Somehow, both teams ended up covered in sludge and the event was declared a tie.
Teachers Kyle Bartlett, Adam Collett, Jacob Hoskins, Tanner Huddleston and Drew McCarty volunteered to have their heads shaved despite not having a lot of hair to begin with. While faculty members got their haircuts, Wolfy, Santa Fe’s mascot, made a guest appearance to perform Firework by Katy Perry.
Cumulative funds raised by various groups throughout the week were revealed. Paige Garrett, who sold snacks out of her classroom, raised $1,617. Summit Middle School raised $1,700, DECA raised $1,000, FCCLA raised $1,000 and NHS raised $2,000.
The final event was a plastic cup was placed between several volunteers from the crowd. Senior Reed Ragaini stood to the side of the competitors and shouted: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, toes or cup.” As each body part was called out, participants would place their hands on the directed area. When cup was shouted, students competed to grab it first. While winners continued playing, losers were left to drink a mystery concoction.
“It tasted like balsamic vinegar and A1 steak sauce mixed with rotten eggs,” Junior Sam Stewart said. “After I heard about the shakes, I knew I had to start actually trying to win.”
Finally, senior Nikolas Rhodes took the floor and talked about his experience in foster care before the broadcasting team played a recap video of the charitable week. The crowd participated in a game of “Shine a Light,” where philanthropy chairs Sharrin and Sara asked questions. If students could relate, they would shine their flashlights. Following that, students were given one more chance to donate as the final miracle-minute timer began.
“I feel like DWDW went so well,” Sara Hassan said. ”Seeing everyone being so excited and involved the whole week made me so happy and proud. I was so excited and grateful for the grand total raised and it showed all our hard work and effort that our whole school put into it.”
