Actress, singer Zendaya visits elementary school in Oakland
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A Hollywood star with Oakland roots visited Fruitvale Elementary School Monday morning.
Actress Zendaya visited with her mother, Claire Stoermer, who worked as a teacher there for 20 years.
"It's awesome. This is my home," said Zendaya about her trip to Oakland. "I was born and raised here so it's always fun to come here."
Zendaya was in town with Verizon and Project Lead the Way -- a nonprofit that helps bring hands-on learning experiences to the classroom with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math.
"Especially in underserved communities, there's rarely a chance for technology or a budget for technology to be incorporated into the curriculum or brought into the schools," said Zendaya. "So it's really cool to see the kids get really excited."
Kids made their own emojis, learned how to mix music, and took part in a virtual reality lab.
Zendaya has been in the entertainment industry since she was a child -- modeling, singing, and acting. She got her big break in KC Undercover on the Disney Channel and has a large role in the movie "The Greatest Showman."
"Having her here as a role model, having her here interact with the kids, it just gives them that excitement and it makes her real," said Stoermer.
Zendaya told ABC7 News if she wasn't in the entertainment industry, she would be a teacher.
Click here for more information on Project Lead the Way.
