'Abbott Elementary' 5th grade class gets surprise trip to the Philadelphia Zoo

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Abbott Elementary is truly a celebration of teachers. That's precisely why creator Quinta Brunson takes money out of the hit show's marketing budget and gives it directly to educators to spend on their classrooms. It's all part of their Teacher Spotlight program.

This year, they chose Linda Graham's 5th grade class at Dunbar Elementary in North Philadelphia.

Graham is spending her $1,000 grant on science projects and other things the kids asked for, like "nice tissues with lotion."

When I visited their classroom, the kids told me they would love a field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo, just like they did on an episode of Abbott Elementary.

So that Mrs. Graham wouldn't have to take it out of her budget, 6abc teamed up with the Philadelphia Zoo to surprise the whole 5th grade at Dunbar with a field trip on Thursday.

"With the pandemic, the last few years they've been kind of either stuck at home, or last year, we had a lot of regulations," Graham says. "They still had to stay in the building. It just feels great to be outside and let them experience life with their hands."

Philadelphia Zoo even threw in the bus service to pick up the kids and bring them for their day of fun and learning.

"They were excited about the bus ride," Graham said. "Even that excitement shows how much they need to get out of the building and really enjoy life."

Some of the kids hadn't had a field trip since kindergarten.

"With the pandemic, they weren't able to go anywhere and the cost of these trips has become so expensive," said 5th-grade teacher Erica Johnson.

The kids were equally thrilled and curious.

"I like being here with my friends because it's super fun and we can talk about different animals and ask each other questions about it," said Jeremiah Richardson, a 5th grader at Dunbar. "Then, when we get back to class and we do work we can talk about what we saw."

Philadelphia Zoo makes this free opportunity available to the School District of Philadelphia as part of their Community Access Program.

"That's the reason why the Zoo exists," said Dani Hogan, the director of Mission Integration at Philadelphia Zoo. "Seeing a tiger right there in front of your eyes is so much more amazing than seeing one through a computer screen. We think that experience should be almost a requirement for every student that goes to the School District of Philadelphia."