On Thursday, the principal at Fort Herriman Middle School is dressed for success

HERRIMAN, Utah — Kids from Herriman who grow up to be a fireman, a mechanic, or a welder, may have Principal Glen Richins to thank for that.

The principal of Fort Herriman Middle School dresses in different outfits every Thursday. He does it specifically to, potentially, influence those life choices.

While his outfits represent a wide range of jobs, Richins said he makes a conscious effort to highlight the careers students can pursue through the district’s technical programs once they graduate.

“We have an EMT program,” he told KSL NewsRadio, “and so I actually borrowed a full set of turnouts, like firefighter turnouts, that I’ll be wearing.”

Other people liked the idea and decided to help Richins with a variety of outfits.

“I also have people that will just donate different uniforms to me, or let me borrow them so that I can highlight different careers,” he said.

And the different work outfits each week aren’t just about exposing middle schoolers to a variety of careers. 

“Another thing that I’m passionate about is trying to find connections for kids to make school more interesting,” he said, “and more applicable to their lives.

“So I’m all about connections to college and careers.”

Richins’ idea has been a hit with his students.

He said the kids love it. They engage, ask questions, and they look forward to seeing what he’s going to bring each week.

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