Now that school’s back in session, it’s a great time to shine the spotlight on Evin Jarrett, a former contractor, who teaches skilled trades to 4th through 8th graders inside Room 113 at Mayfair School in the only such program geared for middle school students in the Philadelphia Public School District.

“Kids are up and moving and learning how to use tools safely and properly,” Jarrett says, building trades instructor at Mayfair. “It’s like a jobsite. Come on time, problem solve and get the objective for the day done. The kids love it.”

Mayfair is Philadelphia’s largest K-8 public school with more than 2,100 students. Jarrett has been teaching grade schoolers the basics of plumbing, electrical, carpentry and masonry for the past four years.

‘Love Teaching The Trades’

 “I love teaching the trades,” he adds. “I get here early every morning along with the building engineer. I’m going to give the kids 110%. At the same time, I call the trades ‘the great equalizer.’ What the kids put in is what they will get out of it.”

The goal of the program is to give the students hands-on experience in the skilled trades while also allowing students to get a better idea of what those careers would be like before getting to high school.

“We focus on a variety of trades,” he explains. “This comprehensive approach not only equips students with practical skills, but also opens their eyes to the vast opportunities available in these fields.”

Jarrett works just as hard at opening up the trades to all.

“A significant part of my mission is to remove the stigma that working in the trades is only for “dumb” students or that it isn’t a place for girls,” he adds. “The skilled trades require intelligence, creativity and a strong work ethic. My program is inclusive and encourages all students, regardless of gender, to explore these rewarding careers. By doing so, we’re not just teaching skills; we’re building confidence, breaking down stereotypes and showing students that the trades are a viable and fulfilling path for anyone with the passion and drive to pursue it.”

Construction professionals from various trades are frequent guest speakers in the classroom. And Jarrett also makes sure to tie in other class room instruction, such as math and geometry, into what students learn about the trades. Recently, Jarrett even converted an RV into a mobile shop class and drove around during summer break offering free shop classes at local community centers. Last year, Jarrett also hosted a summer camp that gave his students the chance to build a shed at Fox Chase Farm, a 112-acre working educational livestock farm.

Ever eager to further talk up opportunities in the skilled trades, Jarrett branded himself as the “Dope Teacher” and his students also produce the “Dope Student Podcast” to discuss with guest speakers more vital information about the careers in construction.

“I want the conversation about the potential to go into the trades to start in middle school,” Jarrett adds. “The earlier we engage them, the better it is. You got to, especially here in Philly, there’s so much that they can get into where you lose students at between 7th  and 9th grades. You’ve got to be able to get them earlier.”

The program he teaches at Mayfair is technically a “career exploration” program, since CTE programs in Pennsylvania require state approval and 1,040 hours of instructional time. Still, his students can earn several of the same certifications high school students do and there are several CTE high school programs the students can go on to.

“Obviously, I would love for them to go into a CTE program in high school, but I also want them to see that there is a teacher here that genuinely cares about them,” Jarrett said. “I want to show them that they can do anything that they put their mind to.” 

Contractor And Teacher

Jarrett became a teacher after 20 years of trade experience and only left after being injured on the job.

Actually, he’s come full circle since after he graduated high school he enrolled in college thinking he would become a teacher (OK, he really wanted to be a police officer and his parents wanted him to teach). However, Jarrett picked up part-time work as a contractor during school breaks while he attended college and decided he loved the job too much to return to school.

After his injury forced him to change professions, however, Jarrett did some teaching at Orleans Technical College, a school for adults centered on careers in the building trades and healthcare. There, he “fell back in love with teaching,” and returned to school to earn his teaching certification and got a job in the district. 

He spent a few years teaching building trades at a high school before he had a chance encounter with Guy Lowery, who was then principal of Mayfair at the time and had an idea to bring trades classes to his elementary school.

“It was like he was Phil Jackson and I was Michael Jordan,” Jarrett adds.

He got hired just as COVID was sending students home for remote learning.

“Teaching that first year at Mayfair was rough,” Jarrett adds. “I was not only a new teacher at Mayfair, but the program was new and there I was teaching my students over the computer. Despite the struggles, we still managed to get the job done.”

Since then, Jarrett has earned plenty of national media attention, including spots on CBS News, as well being featured in one of Pfister Faucets’ American Plumber Stories episodes, a docuseries that promotes the plumbing trade to the next generation of professionals. Last April, the Philadelphia City Council even recognized Jarrett for “his exemplary service expanding vocational training opportunities for Philadelphia’s youth.” 

You can read more accolades about Jarrett here: https://linktr.ee/DopeTeacher. Above all, Jarrett hopes his classes will be the pathway to good-paying jobs that reward hard work and attention to detail, something his students are learning to master every day.

“Seeing what they were able to accomplish by the end of a class can be incredibly empowering for them.” he adds. “It shows them that they are capable of creating and fixing things with their own hands, which can be a game-changer for their self-esteem and future career choices.”