BALTIMORE -- Over the weekend, WJZ and its media partner, the Baltimore Banner, treated Baltimore City Public Schools students to a special screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and showed them that they can be heroes too.

The screening was on Sunday. Corporate sponsors Walmart, Maroon PR, M&T Bank and Young King Hair Care gave 500 of the city's students to the VIP treatment with popcorn, snacks to take home, and gift bags of shampoo and conditioner.

The collaborative effort aimed to uplift the students so that they "realize that they can be great," said Stefan Miller, the co-founder of Young King Hair Care.

 "I teach superheroes every day in my classroom, so I think it was cool for them to see superheroes up on the screen," said Wyatt Oroke, a teacher at City Springs Elementary and Middle School. 

Oroke said he hopes the special screening will inspire meaningful conversations in his classroom.

 "I know the kids took a lot from the movie today," he said. "They were singing and celebrating in there. They were cheering the characters on in there. So, I can't wait to talk about the messages they learned as they watched themselves on the screen."

Students raved about the wardrobe choices made by the movie crew.

"I like how they had gems in their hair and their hair was different and unique," one student said.

 Mayor Brandon Scott said he was happy to see the children exposed to the film's representation and empowering message. 

The special experience will help the students to see that their community cares about them and believes in them, he said.

"For these young people to see that and know that they can build things, they can create things, they can do things to change the world—that's what we want to continue to inspire in our young people," Scott said.