Jalen Hurts' latest Philly assist: $600K to keep students cool
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Jalen Hurts, left, on stage Tuesday with Mayor Cherelle Parker at Northeast High School. Photo: Isaac Avilucea/Axios
Northeast High School's auditorium gets muggier than a summer day at Eagles training camp, but by next year it'll be just like its new benefactor, Jalen Hurts — cooler than a cucumber.
Why it matters: The Eagles' ballyhooed quarterback's $600,000 donation is the latest investment aimed at keeping Philly students cool in classrooms that can top 90 degrees in the summer.
The big picture: The lack of adequate cooling systems in some district schools has interrupted teaching, led to early dismissals and made hiring educators difficult.
- But Hurts has now donated at least $800,000 to help the Philadelphia school district achieve its goal of equipping every school with adequate cooling by 2027.
- Now, 52 schools remain without adequate cooling, down from 118 in 2022, Superintendent Tony Watlington said during a pep rally Tuesday at Northeast High School.
Driving the news: Students erupted into chants of "MVP" when the red stage curtain pulled back, revealing Hurts sitting among city and school officials gathered to unveil the quarterback's latest gift.
- The money will help bring air conditioning to the school's 1,400-seat community hub, which hosts everything from town halls to musical performances.
Inside the room: About 1,000 students roared as the band rattled out its rendition of "Fly, Eagles, Fly." Vikings cheerleaders waved glittering red-and-black pom-poms and danced to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk."
- The typically stoic Hurts fired up the crowd, reminding students he was once in their shoes — juggling classes, homework and football practice while chasing his NFL dream.
What they're saying: The son of two educators, Hurts knows all about the dog days of summer — both as a former high school football standout at Channelview High School and now as the Eagles' starting quarterback.
- But he told Axios he was lucky enough not to have to worry about keeping cool in the classroom, unlike Philly students whose learning time is often cut short by heat-related dismissals.
"That's why I'm so passionate about it," said Hurts, who learned about the issue while watching the local news a few years ago.
- "That's something that I want to pay forward given what this city means to me. … I know the importance of the environment you create. Something so simple, something so standard … so their minds can remain clear."
By the numbers: The average district school building is over 70 years old — and some, like Northeast High School, have been around for more than a century.
- Many buildings lack the electrical capacity needed for upgraded cooling systems, which the district estimates can cost $1 million to $1.5 million per school to modernize.
What's ahead: The school expects to have air conditioning in the auditorium by the start of the 2027-2028 school year.
- And for that, principal Andrew Lukov said, students are forever grateful to Hurts.
The bottom line: "What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you say," Lukov said, quoting one of the Super Bowl-winning quarterback's favorite gems of wisdom.
- "All our ears are ringing because you always show up for Philly in the biggest ways."