OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The 700 auditorium seats in an Iowa high school were filled Thursday with students who thought they were attending a routine assembly.

They had no idea who would be taking the stage.

Once the Oskaloosa High School students realized who the special guests were, the crowd in the auditorium erupted in overjoyed screams and enthusiastic applause as married pair of movie stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, strode onstage and greeted the crowd.

“What’s up, Oskaloosa,” Kutcher said. “First and foremost I want to say thank you. You guys got after it and raised a bunch of money and got a bunch of volunteers for the Native Fund, which is unbelievable.”

The Native Fund, this year’s Iowa State Student Council project, was founded by Kutcher and former NFL player Dallas Clark, both natives of Iowa. Kutcher said he and Clark had been talking, and agreed they both wanted to do something for Iowa.

“We decided to set up this fund for disaster relief, so if anything happens, whether it’s a flood or a tornado, we’ve got some money reserved to help people out,” Kutcher said. “And you guys are now part of our Native Fund team, and I can’t thank you enough for that. You guys really went out and worked and made it happen. Thank you to you guys for spearheading the effort.”

OHS teacher and student council adviser Kim Gile said she and a few others found out about Kutcher’s visit on March 10, and she said it was difficult to keep it a secret.

Oskaloosa High School raised $4,000 for The Native Fund, and signed up 700 pledges. The reward for raising the most money for the project was a visit from Kutcher and Clark. However the former Indianapolis Colts and Iowa Hawkeye tight end was unable to attend.

Leah Van Maanen, an OHS student council member and the vice president of the state council, said she was thrilled and wanted to make people aware they could continue to support The Native Fund.

“I was really excited when we found out because all of our hard work that was put into fundraising and raising all the money that we did, and getting the community to get involved and kind of see all that pay off,” Van Maanen said. “It was a big thanks to our whole school and our community for everything that they helped us with.”

Gile said she and the members of the student council appreciate the support from school and the entire community.

“Every year, we have a different state project and they always come through and help support us,” Gile said. “It’s very much appreciated.”

Kutcher, who grew up in Cedar Rapids and the small town of Homestead, spoke to the students about opportunities in life.

“When I was in high school, I stood on a stage a lot smaller than this and did a whole bunch of plays. I was in the show choir and the choir, and I always had this thing in the back of my head that said ‘You know, you’re in Iowa, what are going to do to do that or make a career out of it,'” he said. “Because where are you going to go if you’re a professional actor in Iowa and actually make money? But I had this dream that was set in the back of my head.”

Kutcher said he took an opportunity to go to New York, and he took a chance to be an actor.

The star of dozens of films and iconic TV shows like “That ’70s Show,” MTV’s “Punk’d” and “Two and a Half Men” told the crowd there is no such thing as a “crazy dream” they can’t achieve.

“And so what I really wanted to share with you guys is that you can really do it. Whatever that crazy dream is that you have in your head, whatever that thing is that you believe you can make happen, you can do it,” he said. “And you guys were the ones. You guys have already shown that you’re the ones that can do things that other people can’t do because you’re the ones that won this whole contest. Because you believed that you could do it.”

Kutcher then challenged the students to keep their dreams alive and to remember they can build the world they want to live in.

“Not only can you do what you believe you can do, you just got to keep it in your head and never let it go. You can actually make the world entirely different than what you see it,” he said.

After his speech to the crowd, Kutcher and Kunis posed for photographs with the nearly 700 high school students in the auditorium. The couple also took a photo with the members of the school’s student council.

Kutcher thanked the students again for their help with The Native Fund, and for the visit, before exiting the stage to warm applause and cheers.

“So thank you again, I really, really appreciate it,” he said. “Thanks for inviting us here and having us here. And you guys rock.”

Holland writes for the Oskaloosa, Iowa Herald.