The Oakland School for the Arts is expanding its downtown footprint in a major way, just in time to mark a milestone for the East Bay institution. 

On Wednesday, Aug. 19, a portion of Telegraph Avenue between 18th and 19th streets,  where most of the charter school’s buildings are, will be renamed OSA Way to honor its lasting impact on the East Bay city’s creative scene. 

Commemorative street signage will be unveiled during a renaming ceremony set to take place at 11:45 a.m. 

“This moment is huge for OSA. It is not only reflective of what OSA means to Oakland, but even more importantly what Oakland means to OSA,” Mike Oz, the school’s executive director, told the Chronicle. “Arts education is a powerful transformative force that is needed now more than ever … Oakland’s affirmation of OSA’s positive impact will inspire our students for decades to come.”

Oz, Council Member Carol Fife and OSA student leaders are among those set to speak at the event. The student body will then march down OSA Way to Cloud Park, where the afternoon will wrap up with student performances. 

Wednesday’s event serves as a kickoff to the school’s 25th-anniversary slate of celebrations.

The school, at 530 18th St., was founded by former Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown in 2002. It has since helped launch the careers of “Euphoria” actors Zendaya and Angus Cloud, Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu and Grammy Award-winning singer Kehlani.

While its main hub is perched above the Fox Theater, OSA signed a one-year lease and purchase agreement for the nearby Dufwin Theater at 519 17th St. last year after a long search for more space to accommodate its growing student body, which is capped at just over 8000 students due to current space limitations.

The acquisition is part of Oz’s overarching goal to develop an arts and entertainment corridor that stretches along Telegraph Avenue, which would give OSA more space and visibility in the community. 

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This article originally published at Zendaya’s alma mater to be honored with Oakland street renaming.