How Brandon Leake of 'America's Got Talent' boosts student confidence at Delta College gig

Seven college students maintained their focus on their computer screens as “Keep Ya Head Up” by Tupac Shakur played over the speakers on Wednesday evening.

Students were working on their own websites. They tried out different templates to pick the one that will set them apart when they get out on the job market.

Brandon Leake, Stockton's own spoken word poet who gained fame in 2020 on 'America’s Got Talent,' is teaching Digital Media 31, at San Joaquin Delta College and showing his students how to brand themselves.

"You're going to learn how to be able to work in collective grouping. You're going to learn how to be able to disseminate messaging well. You're going to learn how to create digital references for the things that you have in your own mind," Leake said. "You should be a better person because you should be able to better conceive and give ideas to the world."

What is Brandon Leake up to?

It's been more than two years since Leake brought the 'America's Got Talent' award title home. Since then, Leake continues to impact the community, especially through education.

This might be Leake's first time teaching at Delta College, but college campuses are sure not an unfamiliar world to him.

He is a former Delta College counselor and a graduate of Simpson University in Redding.

Leake teaches Mondays and Wednesdays at Delta College. Every other week over the past academic year, he also works as a "poet in residence" with students from the Lincoln Unified School District.

He helps K-12 students polish their skills in reading and writing.

Why is he teaching at Delta College?

After hearing about Leake's interest in teaching at Delta College, digital media professor Adriana Brogger recruited him to teach under the Career Technical Education (CTE) program. CTE classes equip students with the skills needed to go into industries such as automotive technology and multimedia journalism.

"Collegiate teaching has always been on the horizon for me, but (I) never thought it'd be this early," Leake said.

Teaching this class goes beyond a realized goal. For Leake, this is an opportunity to teach students in an innovative way outside the traditional subjects they are required to take, such as math and science.

He is teaching them how to become better at job interviews, how to be confident and how to reach their maximum potential.

What is Digital Media 31?

The class is a media performance class and lab. Students build a digital media portfolio or website. They practice directing behind a camera and learn how to present themselves in front of one, do audio voiceovers and more.

Students not only gain confidence but the necessary skills to follow their dreams in any industry they have in mind.

Stockton native Chloe Byrne, 23, decided to take Leake's class this spring to work on her portfolio and pitching.

“I had a feeling that I had a lot to learn from him,” Byrne said. “And once I was here, I felt so included (and) accepted ... it made me feel like I was meant to be here."

Byrne's short-term goal is to work on voice acting for her portfolio. In the future, her goal is to own a production company to create content.

"I need the skills first. I need the skills to pay the bills," she said.

Camry Turner, 23, from East Palo Alto, started her college career as a nursing student. She took a break from school and is back at Delta with a "more authentic" major for her, mass communication.

"I don't have a goal, I don't have a dream. I have a vision," Turner said.

Her vision includes traveling the world motivating women and opening "a safe home for young mothers and young women."

Turner said she is excited about the course and learning more about Leake's story, one she identifies with.

Goals for Brandon Leake's class

Leake is hopeful his students will learn how to:

• Build a community and empower each other to follow their dreams.

• Have the confidence to share ideas and in their aspirations.

• Create a digital media portfolio that can help them achieve their career goals.

Those interested in the class can still sign up by emailing Adriana.Brogger@deltacollege.edu. The class is worth three units, and it is CSU transferable.

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: America's Got Talent Brandon Leake teaches at Stockton's Delta College