Jalen Hurts throws touchdowns for a living. But in Philadelphia, some of his biggest wins have nothing to do with football, and everything to do with a broken thermostat in a fourth-grade classroom.

A City Known for Hot Classrooms

Many School District of Philadelphia buildings are over a century old, and a large share of them still lack working air conditioning.

When temperatures spike in early fall or late spring, some schools have had to send students home rather than keep them in overheated rooms.

District officials said the system was not on pace to be fully air-conditioned until 2027.

Ten Schools, Hundreds of Units

In April 2024, Hurts donated $200,000 to the district to install air conditioning at ten schools, including Clara Barton Elementary, Gloria Casarez Elementary, Castor Gardens Middle School, and Benjamin Franklin High School.

District officials said 66 units went in first, with another 106 installed by the end of spring and the remaining 142 finished over the summer, more than 300 air conditioners in total.

By the start of the school year, seven of the ten schools already had working units, cooling classrooms for more than 5,000 students and staff.

Hurts said the decision came down to opportunity.

"I believe every child deserves a comfortable space to learn and grow," he said, describing the schools as home to the city's future leaders.

Every Touchdown Counts

Hurts did not stop there.

Through his foundation's Keep It Cool campaign, he pledged to donate $5,000 for every touchdown he scores during the season toward more school cooling upgrades.

With eight weeks still left in the 2024 season, and 22 touchdowns on the board, the campaign had already raised more than $100,000, and the foundation committed to at least $200,000 more for additional schools.

Still More to Cool

The School District of Philadelphia has said dozens more schools still need cooling upgrades.

For Hurts, that just means the campaign keeps going every time he crosses the goal line.

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