Tampa students recall Ed Sheeran walking into their band recital Friday

TAMPA, Fla. (Tampa Bay Now) - Hillsborough County students say they are still star struck after multi-platinum music artist Ed Sheeran showed up to their classroom Friday.

"I saw someone walk in and then I kind of looked in my peripheral vision. I was like, 'Wait, that's Ed Sheeran'," said Torrey Williams, a student at Middleton High School.

"Mr. T told us that we were going to play one of Ed Sheeran's songs and it's going to be like a video for the district or something," said student Charan Pothula. "And mid-song, Ed Sheeran just walks in with his guitar on him and everything. And I'm like…  everyone's in shock."

A first year teacher, Abraham Tejeda says he was tasked with teaching the young musicians Ed Sheeran's song, Eyes Closed, two day before his arrival. A Middleton grad himself, Tejeda says it's been a tough year for the young musicians. "We worked hard. It's been rough for us to try to really climb this ladder of success, to like, really elevate our band.  And when I finally got that phone call, I was like, wow, this has to be nothing but God. It put tears in my eyes, finally happy, finally feel like, man, we finally deserve this. You know, and they did. I'm just very thankful for that."

The student musicians were gifted guitars and handed tickets to his concert Saturday.