SZA was honored at her former high school on Monday (June 4) and the event was very heartwarming. SZA, who was known by her government name, Solána Imani Rowe, while she attended Columbia High School was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
The Grammy-nominated star was born in St. Louis, but later moved to Maplewood, NJ. She would graduate from the high school in 2008. According to local news site Tap Into Soma, SZA was on the gymnastics team, was a varsity cheerleader and she was a member of the Special Dance Company.
While accepting her honor in front of hundreds of students who packed the auditorium to see her, SZA gave the young kids some words of advice. "I wasn't popular here, I was joked about," SZA said. "I didn't go to prom because I didn't have any friends to go with."
She also urged students to "design your own world right now" and added that she was previously "walking around these same hallways figuring it out just like you."
The TDE recording artist even told the students to keep "deciding what doesn't work for you so you can make change when you leave." She also said about going to school in Maplewood, "This is a really weird blessing of an experience being in this town." SZA closed her speech, "I love you all. Continue to spread peace and love."
After she addressed the students and school facility, SZA performed her hit "The Weekend" single. Then, she was bestowed with an inscribed plaque that noted her induction into the Hall of Fame. Former inductees include "Lauryn Hill (CHS '93, inducted '99), Paul Auster (CHS '65, inducted '08) and Zach Braff (CHS '93, inducted '15)," Tap Into Soma reports.
Check out SZA's speech for her induction into the Columbia High School (CHS) Hall of Fame below. Congrats, girl!
Photo: Getty Images