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Selena Gomez surprised middle school kids this week when she made an appearance at her old stomping grounds at Danny Jones Middle School in Mansfield, Texas. The 27-year-old is currently filming a documentary about her childhood and hometown memories, so she decided to stop by her old school to meet the students and reconnect with her former teachers. “This trip, I wanted to take my best friend Courtney and also some of my people from my label just to show them where I grew up and how proud I am of where I’m from," she explained in the video posted to the school's blog.
During her visit, the Wolves singer spoke with young students as well as with her teachers who welcomed her back with open arms. “I honestly didn’t think it would go as well as it did. I didn’t know I’d get to come and be a part of this so I’m really happy," she explained. "And some of my teachers I got to see again and they were a part of my life for so long.” The former Disney star was a 7th grader at Danny Jones Middle School when she got the gig that would change her life forever.
Her gym coach recalled when a young Selena asked her to sign withdrawal forms because she was going to leave Texas and move to Florida. “I remember the day she was leaving Jones, she came in the gym and said, ‘Oh I’m just going to be in a little Disney film,'" Stephani Grey remembered. "And I said, ‘Oh. Okay.’ Because sometimes middle school kids kind of exaggerate. After some time, she saw Selena's name in the credits of a Disney movie. She also shared details of a young Selena before she found stardom. “As a student, Selena was so humble. She was very kind. She had a really kind, soft spirit."
Since leaving Texas, Selena started with a small background character on Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and then gained major recognition by starring in Wizards of Waverly Place. She's also made a career in Hollywood working on critically-acclaimed movies and also found success in the music industry, earning numerous awards. Selena left the students some words of wisdom. "What I would tell them is that it’s really hard, but it’s worth it. I wasn’t a straight A student by all means, but I think it’s really important and I think it’s also important to make sure that you’re being kind to someone," she said. "And know that anything is possible."