Stephen Curry’s Inspiring Surprise: Oakland Students Thrilled by Play Day with an Emphasis on Active Lifestyles

Even in the offseason, Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry is putting up big points with local fans.

Curry surprised a handful of students in Oakland, California, earlier this week with his Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation for an unforgettable day of play — and San Francisco ABC station KGO was there to capture the sights and sounds of the special afternoon.

PHOTO: Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.

As a group of students from Elmhurst United Middle School posed for a picture in front of the parked Eat.Learn.Play. bus, the four-time NBA champion emerged in the background, yelling, “I’m smiling, say ‘cheese.’”

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry surprises Oakland middle school  with meals, books, soccer - ABC7 San Francisco

The event represented all three pillars of Curry’s nonprofit mission.

“We’re on a playground, so we’re gonna play. We’ve got books, so we’ll read and learn. And then we got fresh produce and items they can take home for the eat portion, so we’re really hitting all three pillars,” he told KGO’s Chris Alvarez.

PHOTO: Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.

“Whether its 30 seconds or 30 minutes that you spend with a kid, it can change something in their lives,” Curry continued. “Whether they feel seen or they’ve been down and needed a little excitement in their lives or a dance break, maybe they find something that they can see in me and just be able to lock eyes with them, shake their hand or give ’em a high five [to] lift them up … when those moments present themselves, I enjoy to the fullest.”

Stephen Curry surprises Oakland students for play day: 'Active lifestyles  are huge for kids' - Good Morning America

He added, “I had many opportunities when I was growing up where you meet somebody you look up to, or see somebody go out of their way to make you feel seen and feel special, and those are imprints that hopefully last forever.”

Steph and Ayesha Curry help remodel an Oakland elementary school playground | CNN

After the initial surprise, the Bay Area humanitarian headed to the soccer field to get moving and coach the kids with drills and games.

“Healthy, active lifestyles are huge for kids just to have a solid balance and to find their true inner child — that’s a big part of identifying your sense of identity, your confidence,” he said. “The sense of community and being able to play with other kids from all different backgrounds, different walks of life, different ages, it’s just about self discovery.”

PHOTO: Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.

The Akron, Ohio, native also reflected on his own upbringing.

“I was fortunate enough to not have to worry about ‘Where can I go to shoot hoops or find kids that were my age that could throw the football around or play baseball with?’ … You realize how much you learn in those environments and every kid deserves that,” he said. “So, we’re trying to find creative ways to implement that here in the Oakland community, whether it’s refurbishing playgrounds or sponsoring programs that are providing positive coaching and resources … all those things matter, and I think it’s a good balance to make sure these kids have as much fun as possible.”

Steph Curry on LeBron James' decision: 'You've still got to beat us'

The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which Curry founded with his wife Ayesha in 2019, is filled with like-minded leaders who Curry said are “taking the vision of we want” and “connecting with the community.” He said the organization is “most proud of staying true to who we are and what we’re doing across those three pillars.”

“What we do, we do extremely well, and we know that that’s going to continue to change lives and the kids that we want to support,” he said.

PHOTO: Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.
Steph Curry surprised middle school students at an event put on by his Eat.Play.Learn Foundation, on June 5, 2023, in Oakland, Calif.

Eat.Learn.Play. has staple events with programming throughout the year from summer through the holidays, including Christmas with the Curry’s, a charity golf tournament with WorkDay, and more sponsored events.

“We just have so many people that believe in us and it’s not just because of who me and Ayesha are, it’s because of the work that we’re doing and what the E.L.P. stands for — and I think that’s special,” Curry added.

Related Posts

Usher beamed with his children, as they flew around the sky together on a private jet

In a move that’s taking luxury travel to new heights, Grammy Award-winning artist Usher has reportedly purchased a private plane for his family, signaling an extravagant adventure around the globe….

Read more

‘From a small shop in Long Island to a mansion in Los Angeles’ Mariah Carey and her husband enjoy happiness with twins Moroccan and Monroe in a luxury villa

Georgia’s Southern Hospitality? Mariah Carey’s Atlanta-area mansion is back on the market after less than a year, seeking $6.5 mιllιon, $850,000 more than she paid for it in an off-market…

Read more

Pop star Madonna and her boyfriend, 38 years her junior, enjoy life inside a lavish mansion spanning 10,000 square metres

It’s very “Pre-Madonna.” Madonna’s former Los Angeles home is up for sale, asking a whopping $21 million. Spanning over 10,000 square feet, the singer lived in the home from 1993…

Read more

Inside Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Themed Dream Mansion in Beverly Hills, the huge fortune he left behind for his three beautiful daughters

The 1994-constructed, architect-designed property is situated on 3.5 acres in North Beverly Park, an exclusive celebrity enclave with a guard-gated entrance. A total of eight bedrooms and twelve bathrooms, the…

Read more

Michael Jordan and his wife Yvette Prieto enjoyed Tequila together during a lavish vacation on an Italian yacht

TҺе ɾеаlιty stаɾ tσσƙ tσ sσcιаl mеԀιа tσ ɡιᴠе Һеɾ fσllσwеɾs а ɡlιmρsе σf tҺе ɡlаmσɾσus еᴠе𝚗t, wҺιcҺ fеаtuɾеԀ cҺιc ρаjаmаs, cҺιc Ԁеcσɾ а𝚗Ԁ lσts σf lаuɡҺs. KаɾԀаsҺιа𝚗 а𝚗Ԁ NσɾtҺ…

Read more

Admire the 16,700 square meter villa inspired by the yacht of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott

Music maverick and hitmaker Travis Scott may be the self-proclaimed king of the “AstroWorld,” but in the real estate world, his most recent purchase makes him the king of Brentwood….

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *