The Mastermind Behind THIS Radical Idea At WSU Tech | Sheree Utash #448 | The Way I Heard It

Five years ago, around the same time CRT crept in K-12 schools, and DEI snuck into the corner office, and ESG slithered into boardrooms across America, a conversation emerged in various corners on the internet around the “appropriateness” of a lesser-known acronym—my S.W.E.A.T. Pledge.

The S.W.E.A.T. Pledge was written years before as a tongue-in-cheek affirmation of time-honored qualities like personal responsibility, delayed gratification, a decent attitude, a thrifty lifestyle, a solid work ethic, and so forth. To this day, everyone who applies for a work ethic scholarship from mikeroweWORKS must sign one, and 11 years ago, no one objected. Five years ago, however, the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge (Skill and Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo) did not fit neatly alongside the aforementioned Army of Angry Acronyms (AAA). Indeed, its unapologetic embrace of individuality, initiative, and meritocracy were deemed “problematic,” with lots of people suddenly triggered by the idea that work ethic might be used as a basis to award a scholarship. In fact, so many objected to the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge for so many different reasons, I had no choice but to turn it into a work ethic curriculum and see if perhaps I could get it into public schools before western civilization collapsed on our heads.

Well, we’ve got a ways to go, but we’re off to a great start. Today, The mikeroweWORKS work ethic curriculum—inspired by the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge— is in more than 50+ schools, thanks in large part to the dogged efforts of my own staff and a very determined educator named Sheree Utash. Sheree not only runs WSU Tech in Wichita, the best trade school in America, she shares my belief that work ethic ought to discussed in the classroom in a structured way. With her help and support, an entire curriculum (with lesson plans and everything!), was developed and implemented at WSU Tech. Today, in honor of Labor Day, and the 17th birthday of mikeroweWORKS, I’m honored to have Sheree on the podcast, to thank her properly for kickstarting this radical idea and to talk about the many good things happening at WSU Tech, along with what needs to change if we’re to improve the education we’re currently offering as a country.

You’re gonna love Sheree Utash. I guarantee it.

See all that goes on at the best school in America, WSU Tech:

Learn more about my work ethic curriculum:

A special thanks to:

Stand Together, a philanthropic community that helps America’s boldest changemakers tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems. Learn more about the people making a difference in their communities and how Stand Together supports their efforts:

Or subscribe for more stories of changemakers: @StandTogetherCC

Good Ranchers - You can get an additional $40 off with my code MIKE and free meat for life when you subscribe. Use code MIKE at:

SkillsUSA - Volunteer locally or start your own chapter TODAY. Learn more at:

#podcast #education #skills

If you like me, and even if you don't, subscribe to my channels and follow me. Much obliged.