Education feature: Kids College offers early campus experience

In her three-plus weeks at theater training, Caitlin Betz has learned above all else, "Expression means everything."

CNJ staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Caitlin Betz reads her line to David Struthers during theater class Wednesday at Clovis Community College's Kids College. The theater class, held at the CCC Town Hall, is one of 24 classes.

As her teacher has to constantly remind her, the audience means something as well.

Betz and five other students continued their crash course Wednesday into theater, and the community college structure as part of Clovis Community College's Kids College, held throughout June at the CCC campus.

Judith Spillane, the director of extended learning at CCC, said the kid's program has been in operation for more than 15 years.

"It's designed to be a fun, interactive time for the kids and give them an early experience coming out to the college."

In theory, Spillane said, the mix of 24 classes will familiarize kids with CCC and give them a small education to go with personal enrichment and physical activity. Later in life, the hope is those students remember the community college structure, whether they attend CCC or somewhere else.

Other Wednesday classes included Zumba exercise and an herb gardening course. The class fees range between $15 and $60, with various final projects.

For the theater class, the final project is a play, with Wednesday's class showing that show business is not easy.

The six-person class, instructor Anita Rude said, searched for a play they wanted to do. Finding none, one of the students wrote one.

CNJ staff photo: Kevin Wilson

Instructor Anita Rude, left, talks to her theater class Wednesday at Clovis Community College's Kids College.

"The basic idea," Rude said, "is these friends go up to a house and it's haunted by a ghost. They go to Hades to get the ghost's soul back."

Throughout several rundowns of the play on Wednesday, Rude would shout instructions from the audience section of CCC's Town Hall, where the students will put their play on in a noon Tuesday performance.

"It's a lot harder than you think," said David Struthers, who played the ghost, named Tom with a Texan accent. Struthers, in the class with his sister Melissa Struthers, said knowing your character was the most difficult part.

The lesson most often shouted up to the performers was the perform to the audience, as the kids would devolve into talking to each other with their backs to the crowd.

"The biggest thing," Rude said, "is to get them over stage fright and make them comfortable being in front of people."

The Wednesday performance was hopefully the final run with scripts, with blocking set for Friday.