Decked out in gold chains and sporting a mohawk, Rob Smith kept his promise to his students.

The principal at Ross Collins Career and Technical Center in Meridian came to school on Friday dressed as Mr. T from “The A-Team,” an iconic 1980s television show. 

It was a deal he made after his students spent the last six months converting an old clunker into the van from the show.

To complete the rehabilitation, students watched the show, an action-adventure series about the exploits of former members of a fictitious U.S. Army Special Forces unit.

Smith said the assigment – which involved research and design skills – wasn’t just about having fun. 

“All the critical thinking and problem-solving came together in a team atmosphere,” Smith said. “Thats what we wanted the students to see and understand.”