As part of their English 12 classes, students in Kristin Kelemen, Dr. Faith Graham, Elisha Whitmore, Lora Pirrello, and Daivd Roehmholdt’s classrooms explored different types of literature through hands-on activities like reading, watching, analyzing, and writing. During their comedy unit, they focused on sitcoms — including classics like I Love Lucy — and wrapped up the unit by creating their own stand-up routines, or sitcom ideas, complete with original characters and storylines.

“This trip allowed our students to see the roots and evolution of the comedic form in action,” said Kelemen, an English teacher at JHS. “We want them to understand that comedy isn’t just about making people laugh — it’s a structured, thoughtful art form with deep cultural significance.”

The field trip was complemented earlier in the unit by a classroom visit from local comedian Paul Clemente, who offered students in Pirello and Graham’s class a firsthand look at the craft of stand-up and the writing process behind the punchlines.

Kelemen said the NCC visit experience was a natural extension of the classroom, aligning not only with the Comedy Center’s mission to celebrate and contextualize the art of comedy, but also with Jamestown Public Schools’ goal of creating real-world learning experiences for students.