For the past four years, the position of Oakmont’s theater teacher and director has had an incredibly high turnover rate, with the newest teacher, Rion Romero, being hired just this year. The turnover rate has been so high that the students in drama classes, as well as the production crew, have had to be introduced to a new face every year since 2021.

When asked about the inconsistency regarding the theater teacher position, long-term drama students have responded with frustration and uncertainty. 

Stella Hieserich, Oakmont senior and 4-year drama student, said, “It’s a bit hard, not having that trust every year with a teacher or being able to build it.” 

This was corroborated by Talia Benavidez, a senior who has been involved since her sophomore year. “The fact that we haven’t had one person constantly, it’s a little tumultuous, it doesn’t feel stable,” Benavidez said.

The drama department has been under strain for the last few years, and the rotation of teachers has no doubt been a part of the problem. Unlike many science, history, or English classes where students are generally expected to listen to lectures and do coursework on their computers, drama is a class where an involved teacher is especially necessary.

Given the many dedicated actors, it can be disappointing when teachers aren’t around long enough to see their personal growth. 

Madelynn Gibbons, a senior who has been working the shows for four years, claimed that she has had to fill in or step into positions quite often. 

“I’ve had to take on a lot of leadership roles,” Gibbons said.

Though the stability with drama teachers has been shaky at best, many students have continued to commit themselves to the company despite the uncertainty. 

“It’s been unstable, but it hasn’t been unhappy,” Gibbons said. 

For many others in the department, the struggles have failed to diminish their enjoyment of the art. It has been rare to see students step away from the company because of the inconsistency, so it is clear that the community is steadfast and persistent.

“The hardships that come with the changing teachers, it’s like a bonding experience,” said Callie Blackstock, a junior who has been in drama since her freshman year. “I think it has brought the community closer together.”

With the vastly varying teaching styles and personalities they have witnessed, it seems expected that some students would feel wary when they see a new name on the board. However, this year, it appears that students have quite unanimously decided that Rion Romero is worth putting their trust in. 

Allison Vandivier, a senior in her fourth year of drama, praised Romero for being very kind and efficient. 

“You can just tell he cares about his job, and he wants to make sure he does it right,” Vandivier said.

The overarching opinion of Romero is that he seems to have a lot of potential and enthusiasm for the drama department at Oakmont. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of people interested in drama, speaking to his ability to create a welcoming environment – both for people who are intent on staying long-term and for people who just want to expand their horizons.

When asked about his experience so far, Romero claims that he often spends time thinking about his and the company’s future, how he wants to leave his mark on the program, and how he is going to make the experience in the company better. 

“The most important thing I need to do is to get the drama students who are already here to trust me, to trust that I am here to do some good,” Romero said.

While it can never be certain that the drama teacher position will remain filled, it is clear that Romero also holds faith in himself that he will stay at Oakmont. 

“I love getting to help, and feeling like I do good, even if I’m exhausted. As long as I keep doing that, I’ll be pretty satisfied,” Romero said.