Stories

This story about the impact of virtual learning was first broadcast during the Ohlone Tri-City News program on December 14, 2022.

Alyanna Pasta, Reporter
Richard Kim, Photographer

REPORTER (V/O):
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was an unforgettable moment in the world. Local high school teachers still remember their reaction to it almost 3 years ago.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
We’d heard a lot about it in the news and I was following the graphs showing the increase in the number of cases and it seems that at some point we were going to have to shut down. We weren’t expecting a shutdown when we did. I think it was March 13th.
Simon Harris, Resource Specialist at James Logan:
Back in March, I remember very clearly I had just done a field trip to Chabot with my seniors. We came back from that and we were told we’d be out for a couple of weeks and that turned into a couple of years.
Reporter (V/O):
Getting accustomed to virtual learning was difficult for teachers.
Simon Harris, Resource Specialist at James Logan:
It felt like being a first year teacher again. It felt like having to relearn how to do everything because we kind of did. We had to figure out how to teach, but in a totally different way, different format.
Sean Jones, PE Teacher at Irvington
I’m just a very active individual, and for me, it became a desk job so I would sit on my computer and even though my students were moving, I wasn’t moving.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
Even something very simple, like turn to your neighbor and talk about something that happened to you last weekend. How do you do that in Zoom. You’re going to make 35 breakout rooms.
Reporter (V/O):
Teachers saw changes in students’ habits and behavior while being virtual.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
The culture here at Logan was that almost everyone’s camera was off and I would have maybe two or three students with their cameras on in any period.
Simon Harris, Resource Specialist at James Logan:
It was clear that this just wasn’t a good way to teach because like my daughter, she really needed that social interaction.
Reporter (V/O):
Teaching styles had to be adjusted to make learning at home effective.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
I had to rethink everything, actually, in addition to digitizing everything and delivering everything online.
Sean Jones, PE Teacher at Irvington
Instead of being like playing sports and interacting as a team, obviously we couldn’t do that, I turned it into a individual fitness class. So really utilizing fitness information on the internet, using Youtube, I created some of my own content and really just made it a fitness based class for individuals.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
We tried to translate the in-person experience into a Zoom experience.
Reporter (V/O):
Upon returning to in-person learning after a while, teachers noticed a difference in student life and atmosphere.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
I think that the experience of being at home and not having a lot of interaction with other adults made my students anyway, my current students, I think more insular, isolated perhaps.
Simon Harris, Resource Specialist at James Logan:
I think they were glad to be here again. But kind of almost like they forgot how to function at school.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
I feel sometimes when I’m in the classroom today, as if I’m still on Zoom and their cameras are still off, it feels like that sometimes. Occasionally I’ve had to say hello and they kind of look up at me like with surprise, like, oh, yeah, you’re still there.
Mr. Jones, PE Teacher at Irvington
Being around structure has really kind of, this year seems way more normal of a year compared to last year. So I think just being here and you know having classroom management and structure, it’ll get better as we go.
Reporter (V/O):
Despite the difficulties and challenges teachers faced while being virtual, they overcame them and got something out of it.
Simon Harris, Resource Specialist at James Logan:
I think it’s better than not having done anything for sure because, you know, we got we got to keep trying and we, you know, if nothing else, it’s a learning experience of how to face that adversity, how to deal with new new situations like that.
Michael Foster, English Teacher at James Logan:
Probably the biggest advantage potentially from virtual learning is that it can be asynchronous. So it doesn’t have to be everyone doesn’t have to be in class at the same time.
Reporter (V/O):
Teachers shared that they are glad to be back in the classroom again. This is Alyanna Pasta for Ohlone Tri-City News.

This story about the Made-Up Theater was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on December 7, 2022.

Sean Siquig, Reporter
Andrei Domantay, Photographer

REPORTER (V/O):
The Made Up Theater on Washington Boulevard has been around since before the pandemic. What is it like to start performing in improv?
Grant Ewing, Staff & Performer:
I’ve never done improv outs ide of made up theater. This is my first and really only space. I was teaching and realizing I don’t have a chance to really do theater anymore because the services are just so time consuming. So taking a class once a week was really doable.
Victoria M., Performer:
Well, I actually am trained as a scientist, so I had no experience in improv whatsoever.
REPORTER (V/O):
Since 2018, Made Up Theatre has changed locations, now existing on the second story above a coffee shop, which is one of Fremont’s oldest buildings, built back in 1889.
Grant Ewing, Staff & Performer:
Getting to be above a coffee shop in a historical area of Fremont definitely gives the whole space a really intimate and like high culture. Feel like to know that you’re performing in a space it’s over 100 years old is such an amazing feeling as well as like we now have a much fuller set up of lights. We’re able to stream our shows online. We have our classes have expanded hugely. We got Venmo and QR codes on everything.
REPORTER:
Covid-19 had an impact on many small businesses around the world. How did Made Up Theatre’s owners adapt during quarantine from their usual hosting of weekly in-person improv shows?
Sean Taylor, Co-Owner & Improv Coach:
Like all theaters, comedy venues, concert halls, you know, we had to stop in person activities and shows, and that was really tough for us because we had only done in-person events and shows. As the weeks went by, we were like, We need to adapt to this. This is going to last for a while. So what we did is we just started doing shows from our living room.
REPORTER (V/O):
Improv is just one form of entertainment through acting; so what intrigues actors to participate in improv?
Sean Taylor, Co-Owner & Improv Coach:
You know, our connection here wasn’t very good. We had an okay connection in our house. So we just did shows every Saturday night at a pay what you want, kind of like ticket fee to come check us out. And it was very odd, you know, not to have that audience participation, that feeling of like like, you know, getting validation from an audience. And, you know, it’s something that especially during the pandemic, we didn’t have. So I think, you know, a lot of people said, you know, oh, my gosh, I really miss this, you know, having to do shows online via Zoom or just any anything without a live audience to give you that immediate feedback, you know, was so missing during the pandemic. So now we get to kind of re explore, you know, our connection with a live in-person audience. And that has kind of just been, you know, such a breath of fresh air for these people who have been kind of deprived of it for the past two plus years. There’s a lot of things I like about I love the relationship that you develop with your fellow performers, and I love that feeling of being surprised as and being able to surprise them.
Grant Ewing, Staff & Performer:
Because I’m so used to like scripted theater where you’re like, you have your lines, you might have to improvise if something goes off, but there’s a very clear narrative you’re heading to and there’s a saying in improv, it’s like, if you know you’re going, you’re already too far. Like you’re you’re you’re out of the space, you know, you’re going like it’s not improv anymore.
REPORTER (V/O):
The Made Up Theatre offers private improv coaching for those interested in becoming more experienced.
Sean Taylor, Co-Owner & Improv Coach:
This is an interactive improv comedy experience in our classes as well. You get to learn the skills that we utilize on stage, but the skills that we utilize on stage aren’t just for comedy or acting. They’re also very helpful for professional development. Personal development people take our classes, they take it maybe to be an actor or a comedian and our performers, as they go through our levels, you know, we might take performers from our classes or do auditions. And, you know, coming year is kind of like their escape for the week. You know, not all of them have like the ambitions to, like, you know, go to L.A. and become an actor. This is just a place where they get to have a creative outlet and, you know, express themselves.
Made Up Theatre is an improv comedy venue. We have shows every week. We teach classes, we do teambuilding and private events. It’s essentially, you know, something to do in Fremont that is something that it can be very lacking right now. And it’s something I’m happy to provide for the last ten plus years.
REPORTER (V/O):
This is Sean Siquig for Ohlone Tri-City news.

This story about the League of Volunteers was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on December 7, 2022.

Rebecca Twyman, Reporter
Brandon Tran, Photographer

Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
For over 40 years, the League of volunteers in Newark is a nonprofit that has been tirelessly striving to improve the community of the tri City area.
Greg Harris, Facilities Manager
We’re about promoting volunteerism in the community,
Jerry Juhl, Board of Directors Member
We do the best we can we help the needy.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
They help where they can. And you know, we do have certain programs where we do go year round-the adopt a family, Thanksgiving.
Donna Sick, Former Director
Where there’s a need in the community, we try to fill it with volunteers to bring that you know, fill the gap,
Sister Aquino, Employee
They really focus on trying to help people feel human and to not feel like they’re just some person that you know, that doesn’t, you know, they are just trying to give them the bare minimum, like they really try to help people to feel like they deserve to be loved. And I think that’s what’s really amazing about their thought processes and how they, they work to help other people.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
Over the years they have developed, many programs do the best they can to help the community. Some of the events they host are there year round emergency food pantry, annual toy drives, Thanksgiving meals, art programs in schools, scholarships, and several free services and events to help those in need every year.
Sister Aquino, Employee
You hear about different programs that they have, like they just did something for Thanksgiving.
Jerry Juhl
We have a food bank program, where we offer a box of food of 25 items, non perishables that they can pick up once a month.
Donna Sick, Former Director
Used to do a lunch program. And then we now we provide snacks in the morning, because some of the kids come in the morning, they haven’t eaten anything yet.

Rebecca Twyman
But that’s not all they do. Every year, they help vulnerable families who are experiencing difficult times and help make their holidays magical.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
So we have the Adopt a family, which people can go to the website and sign up to either be adopted or to adopt a family like to actually sponsor a family. And so they would go online and it’s family who’s signed up and given their information. You can they could say like, “Hey, I’d like to adopt this family.” And then they would go through their wish list and bring all their gifts. And I believe they’re going to have them here by the 20th. And then those gifts will be given to the families.
Donna Sick, Former Director
So our adopt a family program does very well, our adopters. A lot of times if they have a tree on their wish list, they’ll give them an artificial tree and all the lights and they have a wish list that they can pick from for the kids and adopt them out.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
And so if the families are not adopted, we get the families together, we find out the ages of their kids and make sure that the kids have a toy and a turkey and some food so they can have a Christmas dinner and have presents under the tree.
Donna Sick, Former Director
And it makes a world of difference. And it’s not about you know a big quantity of toys, it’s just so that they can give something to their kids at Christmas.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
It’s not too late to join the adopt a family events. The League of volunteers are still accepting applications for families to be adopted, and sponsors to help families in need. The last day to adopt is next Monday, December 12. And the adopted families can expect their gifts on or before December 20. They are also accepting donations, especially non perishable food to help continue growing their food pantry.
Jerry Juhl, Board of Directors Member
So we can always use donations, especially food.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
They accept a wide range of donations, such as non perishable foods, clothes, toys, and many other contributions. However, time can be even more invaluable. To maintain their work for the community. They need volunteers to continue making a difference. They have many events, projects and services to serve their community throughout the year.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
So if you go to their website, and you click on the volunteer button, you can sign up and and there’s definitely places where you can volunteer, I would also like to get more younger volunteers to come in and have them come in because we do have a lot of older volunteers that maybe can’t help as much or, you know, they’re, they’re very passionate about it, but they can’t move around as well. And so if we got some younger volunteers with the same passion, and we can keep this organization going
Donna Sick, Former Director
We run with a great group of volunteers, we have probably two to three hundred very active volunteers.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
I want it to be that place where volunteers want to come and hang out and do things and they want to be around each other not because they have to because it’s because they want to.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
To join the adopt a family events, give donations or volunteer you can visit lov.org On the website, you can learn more about the League of volunteers and how you can donate your resources to a good cause.
Sister Aquino, Employee
I think it just neat having organizations like League of volunteers because a lot of times you think that human nature is to turn inward and to focus on ourselves. But League of volunteers is, as well as other charitable organizations, they help us to just turn outward and focus on the needs of others.
Donna Sick, Former Director
I feel like everybody should give back in you know, your family, of course comes first and then your community.
Greg Harris, Facilities Manager
Come on down volunteer, right. It’s always a good time. And it’s always fun to help
Jerry Juhl, Board of Directors Member
And we do our best.
Jodie Aquino-Sisk, Current Director
I’m in a position right now where I can help and I would love to help
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
I’m Rebecca Twyman reporting for Ohlone Tri City News

This story about the Ohlone College Puente Program was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 30, 2022.

Ivan Salvador, Reporter
Joahan Lopez, Photographer

This story about the Ohlone College Ceramics Department was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 16, 2022.

Rebecca Twyman, Reporter
Brandon Tran, Photographer

Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
Students at Ohlone have the opportunity to express themselves in many ways. One of them being the Ceramics Department,
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
there’s a lot of opportunity to explore form and design and also to really explore one’s own voice.
Monica Skinner, Student
It allows you to have creativity in a way that you don’t normally have. Yeah, I think it’s, it’s rather, it’s one of those things that everyone should have to be able to do.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
There’s something beautiful and so satisfying about that handmade piece. That’s a part of your life that you know, somebody spent weeks making and you have the honor of using it.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
The Ceramics department focuses on teaching students how to make art through the use of clay and ceramic materials. However, it isn’t just bowls and throwing on the wheel. But a dive into the many forms ceramics can take through many skill levels
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
You can make incredible sculptures with clay as well and tell stories and relate to people and create incredible installations and public art
Sorraya Jehle, Student
throwing, throwing, it’s wonderful, I love the wheels
Monica Skinner, Student
It was my first time playing with clay. So I thought it was still pretty fun and exciting. So…
Robin Hail, Student
Working with your hands making something and you know, you never know when you will need that. You might use that same skill some other time in a different medium.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
It’s a tool, clay is a tool, just like a pencil. And you can create these physical forms that are going to take shape and be in your environment.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
One of the main projects introduced at the beginning of the semester is the flower project, based on a famous installation in England,
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
At the Tower of London and England, there was an installation by Tom Cummins, and they created hundreds of thousands of poppies. Each Poppy represented a soldier that died and World War One. And it was an installation piece
Rebecca Twyman
From that sparked a new semester tradition. Every student in the ceramics classes gets to add flowers to an ever growing installation on campus where every student gets to make an impact.
Monica Skinner, Student
I really enjoy the project here and how it looks. I think that it’s amazing that they have done it so many semesters in a row and it just keeps growing.
Sorraya Jehle, Student
I’m so proud. Those flowers are you know, installed and people come and look at it. And…
Robin Hail, Student
I love having something that people walk past and go, Oh my god, somebody made that on our campus.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
And for students to make these flowers and put so much into it, and be able to be a part of the community even when they continue to grow and leave Ohlone is very cool.
Monica Skinner, Student
I enjoy it. I think it’s nice to leave something behind. Yeah, I think it’s really cool.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
It’s really hard, right? To work on something. And to put all of your creativity and everything you’re learning into it and letting it go.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
Classes open for enrollment for the 2023 spring semester for continuing students on November 28. Students can go to my.ohlone.edu. And take a look at some of the upcoming classes in the Ceramics Department. There’s still a lot to look forward to next semester in the department.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
There is one project that I’m- I’m toying with and it has to do with one of the buildings on Ohlone way.
Robin Hail, Student
Katie always has ideas. So I’m curious to see what happens next.
Monica Skinner, Student
Ceramic class is the best I love it and the teacher is wonderful. I learned a lot and I recommend this to everyone.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
We’re here. The entire art department is a great place to be and we’re here to teach you these skills. You don’t need to come already knowing how to work with the materials. It’s our job to teach you.
Sorraya Jehle, Student
You get hooked. Be careful!
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
I’m Rebecca Twyman in building two of Ohlone colleges fremont campus reporting for Ohlone tri City News.

This story about Ohlone College Deaf Pride was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 9, 2022.

Andrei Domantay, Reporter
Sean Siquig, Photographer

Reporter (V/O):
From the top of Ohlone stands the deaf studies division, building 6. As they celebrate the 50 yr deaf pride here at Ohlone.
William Wong, Ohlone Instructor
Hello, I’m William Wong. I am a deaf facility member in the deaf studies division. I teach american sign language but i also teach mathematics to deaf as well as hearing students
Sandra Ammons, Ohlone Instructor
Ok sure i’m Sandra Ammons. I teach here at Ohlone
Reporter (V/O):
Today is a special day to celebrate one of the largest and comprehensive programs designed to meet the academic and vocational needs of deaf and hard of hearing students.
William Wong, Ohlone Instructor
In 1972, George Atltweed saw that the difficulties students were having keeping up with the reading and writing levels in their mainstream courses. George Atltweed put some thought into it and decided to establish a class that would not include interpreters but that would direct communication from the facility to the students. Other colleges were not interested in doing something like that but Ohlone accepted the challenge and welcomed George Atltweed to the campus.
Sandra Ammons, Ohlone Instructor
It is very important, significant recognition. Were recognizing a community, our language and our culture and our people. So who the people are that are carrying the culture and the language of the deaf community is significant. The college has had deaf programs and services, ongoing support for deaf students. The 50 years of deaf pride means that we have been here on campus for 50 years! Maybe you might think that this is to help deaf people learn but really we have been teaching college wide too the campus about us deaf people and our culture. We are living, walking, breathing examples of deaf culture and the pride in our history.
Reporter (V/O):
For their kick off celebration for the 50 year deaf pride they opened up a time capsule.
William Wong, Ohlone Instructor
I asked are then dean Ron Berdett who by the way will be here for the keynote this afternoon. I asked him if he thought about it and we should perhaps should do that and he agreed. So we went into the planning stages of making our own time capsule. We asked for submissions from students then, George Atltweed wife because George Atltweed was responsible for establishing a deaf studies division and has since passed away. So his wife speaked for him at the time capsule ceremony.
Sandra Ammons, Ohlone Instructor
Well the time capsule shows how our world has changed. That the artifacts that we had in the past may be obsolete, some of them may not be of use anymore and so it would be fascinating to see what artifacts will be pulled out of the time capsule.
Reporter (V/O)
With the 50 year mark done. This is just the tip of their success and more to come for deaf studies division
Reporter
From Ohlone Fremont Campus this is Andrei Domantay from Tri-City News.

This story about Ohlone College Men’s Basketball team was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 2, 2022.

Reporter: Alyanna Pasta
Photographer: Richard Kim

Reporter Lead-in:
Basketball season is coming for Ohlone’s men’s team! Here’s Alyanna with a story on the team and how they are getting ready for their season.
REPORTER (V/O):
The Ohlone men’s basketball team welcomes a new coaching staff that got hired just this past spring. The coaches have different reasons for choosing to come to Ohlone.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
This is home for me. I grew up in the Bay Area. So I spent a couple of years at Riverside, but you know, coming back was, you know really special to me. My family’s here. My friends are here.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
My friendship with Jordan Lee, who’s our head coach. We’ve talked about coaching together for a long time, so I was excited to jump on board and coach with him.
Reporter (V/O):
The coaches feel welcome in the Ohlone community and are excited to be a part of it.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
I mean, I’m still new to it, but I really enjoy it so far. I’ve just gotten to know a few of the other coaches and staff around here, but so far I’ve really enjoyed it.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
So this community has really welcomed me, whether it’s from student life, ASOC, all the different organizations on campus, uh Moja. Like everyone has just been so welcoming to me and it’s just been fantastic just getting integrated in my time here.
Reporter (V/O):
The team spends about four to five hours practicing every day, and they value their time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
During practice we do a lot of shooting. Getting reps up, running through plays and stuff. And in the weight room usually just like strengthening workouts and stuff.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
Just to get a little bit better when we talk about getting 1% better, but just like as a whole, physically, like mentally, emotionally, can we just get a little bit better every day?
Reporter (V/O):
The players and coaches do face challenges like every athlete.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
As a player is like, uh, being motivated and staying consistent and stuff and uh, being disciplined as well and managing your time because you got to work plus long hours of practice.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
I think the biggest challenge is just staying consistent because a bad week could ruin like your whole year. So you might want to to stay on top of what you’re doing.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
I think one challenge is like the work is never done. Like you could work all day and still have more scouting and more recruiting and more film to watch.
Reporter (V/O):
The team doesn’t experience any serious conflict, but they do get competitive from time to time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
We’re not perfect. So like, we argue sometimes, fight sometimes, but at the end of the day, we’re brothers. We talk it out at the end of the day.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
We know that there’s nothing serious, so we don’t really take it personal. So we get over it.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forward
Not like team conflict, I wouldn’t say that. I would say more competitive. We get more competitive. And I mean, at the end of day, we laugh and we go to Chick-Fil-A and, you know, smile at each other and enjoy each other’s company.
Reporter (V/O):
Despite the challenges they face, they make sure they overcome them. They remain positive and motivated, and some have different things that keep them motivated on the court.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
Sometimes it’s just baby steps. And whatever the challenge is, sometimes you approach it with just simple conversation. Sometimes you have to it’s a question of accountability or a question of discipline, but it’s just one bite at a time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
There’s this Bible verse that I look up to. Uh, Philippians 413. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Yeah, that’s what I look up to.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
So my dad passed away a couple of weeks ago, so now everything I do is just for him. So I just keep that in mind.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
There is a quote I really like that actually helped me get back into coaching by Howard Thurman, and he wrote, “Don’t Ask What the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that. Because the what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Reporter (V/O):
The team has high hopes for the season and years to come.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
You know, we want to win a lot of games. We want to win our league, we want to win state.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forward
So my, my dream goal is to play D1 College or D2 and then play overseas after
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
I really think my guys are are buying in. They really are. Their energy, the charisma, they love it. They really, really love it. Like this means a lot to them and it means a lot to me. And I think when you are that bought in and you care that much about a team and about its success, I already feel like we’re on the path to where we want to get to.
Reporter (V/O):
The team is excited for the season ahead of them, and they are putting in work to have a great season.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forard
Just come come support us and watch us win some games.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
I love this team. I love the brotherhood, the bond that we have. It’s fun. It’s fun to be here. It’s going to be a good year.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
I’m a first year head coach here at Ohlone, and they had to put a lot of belief in me and trust in me because I’m unproven. And a lot of these guys were unproven and a lot of people kind of looked like kind of look the other way and didn’t really trust in them and didn’t really think that they were really good. And so as a group, I’m just really happy that these guys are together and we’re just getting closer and closer together every day.
Reporter (V/O):
Be sure to support the team at their home coming game on Thursday, November 10th at 7 PM! From Ohlone College in Fremont, this is Alyanna Pasta for Ohlone Tri-City News.

This story about the Kinesiology Department was first broadcast during the Ohlone Tri-City News program on October 26, 2022.

Joahan Lopez, Reporter
Ivan Salvador, Photographer

This story about the Ohlone Communication Lab was first broadcast on October 19, 2022 as part of the live Ohlone Tri-City News program.

Reporter: Armando Galan
Photographer: Natalie Delgadillo

Reporter: Ohlone College has a student service that can help with your fear of giving speeches.
Shelly Spratt-Director/instructor: Public speaking is what I like to call high-end anxiety sport and different research has shown that one out of four Americans would rather die a terrible death than give a speech.
Reporter: The Communication lab helps with this fear!
Jennifer Hathaway-Intern/Tutor: It has given me a level up when talking to outside employers.
Christine Carrol-Instructor: Without the Comm lab they don’t have a place to go to practice their speeches to ask for help we seen just an increase in student retention with the Comm lab in place
Brenda Anholtz-Instructor: Students get to interact and connect outside of class and when you look at research on retention and success it’s the student who hangs out after class on campus.
Reporter: The lab depends on its student tutors
Anisha Patel-Tutor: This is my first semester tutoring here. you get to meet people in your major and interact with people, and just after the pandemic have more interactions with students.
Jennifer Hathaway-Intern/Tutor: I was actually scouted by one of the communication professors specifically to be a tutor. I jumped on the chance because my initial reaction to the lab when I was a student was really good so I wanted to see what the perspective was from the tutor’s side and I’ve loved it ever since.
Reporter: Communication Lab Tutors are given many benefits!
Anisha Patel-Tutor: I am a communication major, it looks really good when I am sending out my applications to transfer.
Shelly Sprat-Instructor: Gives them (Tutors) an opportunity to put something on their transfer applications, and resumes, to say that they were speech coaches, which is really effective, for future employers looking at their applications.
Reporter: The Communication lab has a staff of approximately 15 tutors, but the department wants more tutors.
Anisha Patel-Tutor: I think something we could do is have a better ratio to students to tutors just so we can spend more time with each one and their specific questions
Reporter: Tutors enjoy being able to help others and work with others. Ohlone college instructors encourage students to use the lab and tutor there too.
Brenda Anholtz-Instructor: Tutoring is a wonderful experience, to be able to connect with other students and help them improve their communication skills.
Reporter: The lab can help students succeed better in their communication assignments and speeches. The Communication Lab can be found on the Fremont campus and can be found on the Newark campus, open Monday-Thursday from 9AM-6:30 PM, and on Fridays from 10AM-2PM. The communication lab is a great tool for students looking to practice their comm skills and for communication majors to gain professional experience. From the Ohlone College Fremont Campus this is Armando Galan for Ohlone Tri-City News.

This story about the Ohlone College Theater Department was first broadcast on October 19, 2022 as part of the live Ohlone Tri-City News program.

Reporter: Brandon Tran
Photographer: Rebecca Twyman

BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
Many aspects of Theater training include breath control, memorization, and even athletic fitness. Students studying theater often come out of it learning skills they take into the real world, actor or not.
GLENDA RIVERA, Early Childhood Studies Major
Being able to speak in public spaces, like on stage. A lot of my core, just, belief in myself.
CHRIS WARDEN, Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics, and Arts
The one thing that I appreciated with the theater in my younger years, I got to learn how to work with a lot of different kinds of people, types of people, and that’s helped me throughout my growth as a professional.
ZION WHEATON, Mechanical Engineering Major
I mean, acting really is just the study of being human. So being able to really connect with other people and communicate clearly has been extremely- it’s invaluable in every walk of life.
CALEB SZABO, Game Design Major
Like I grew up very shy and at a certain point I kind of was able to break from it and I thought I fully broke from it. But then I took the acting and realized I really hadn’t. And recently I feel a lot more like I can kind of do I can be me and not need to, like, hold back anything,
BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
In September the Ohlone College Theatre Department has resumed offering many classes in the performing arts on stage and in front of the camera.
CALEB SZABO, Game Design Major
We always wanted to do an acting class. Why not? Let’s jump on into it. And we did. And it kind of fueled all of us there. In our own way a little spark of like, I really like theater.
ZION WHEATON, Mechanical Engineering Major
What drew me here was I met a friend and it was just like the first day of classes. And they happened to mention that they were going to an improv class here. And I was like ‘Oh improv! That sounds like a lot of fun
CHRIS WARDEN, Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics, and Arts
Lots of times it’s just to check off a GE requirement and then they just fall in love with it. Some are coming in from high school experiences and they want to continue that same kind of theater or drama or arts in general.
BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
Students in the Theatre department get lots of opportunities to put their skills to the test.
CHRIS WARDEN, Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics, and Arts
They get to have new opportunities and get to see what they may appreciate. Art appreciation, music appreciation, theater appreciation, of course, are all things that we want to have as an individual as we get older, right, as we go through life
MICHAEL NAVARRA SMITH, Professor
We collaborate on so many different projects throughout the season. So were a theater and dance department and we have a great tech team. We’re doing show after show, whether it’s theater or dance and then musicals and so on, and we just have a nice flow because we’ve gotten to really learn each other and work together
BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
But it isn’t just classes and homework here in the department. Student’s outside of class find themselves a part of a close knit and open community.
ZION WHEATON, Mechanical Engineering Major
I’ve had nothing but positive experiences here so far so I hope other people can come and share that with me.
CALEB SZABO, Game Design Major
Everyone is very supportive. It’s very much if you make a mistake, no one’s going to point out your flaw. And if they do, it’s more so in a productive like and here’s how we can fix it sort of thing as opposed to like, you did this wrong and you need to fix this, you know?
BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
In the Spring students can act and direct in short plays and skits in the annual Student Repertory class. students who want to take part in a bigger production can join the department’s Fall play. This year, Ohlone college is putting on a production of Nick Deere’s Frankenstein.
MICHAEL NAVARRA SMITH, Professor
I’m very proud of the productions that we’ve been able to do over the years.
GLENDA RIVERA, Early Childhood Studies Major
A wonderful department. Everyone should try because you learn so much from yourself about others and about what theater means to you.
ZION WHEATON, Mechanical Engineering Major
I was a mechanical engineering major and I am switching to have a theater major.
CALEB SZABO, Game Design Major
I’d say if anyone watching has even a little bit of interest, just jump on into it like it’s very a leap of faith. But once you get in it, you’ll know really, really quickly whether it’s something you like or not.
BRANDON TRAN (V/O) :
If YOU want to learn more about how you can join the Theatre Department, please go to www.ohlone.edu/theatre-and-dance to learn more.
This is Brandon Tran, reporting for Ohlone Tri-City News, signing off.