Eleven-year-old Lupita Cruz, a sixth-grader at Ernie Pyle Middle School, was one of 57 students enrolled in counselor Don Mondragon's clown class last semester. Mondragon, 63, has been teaching clowning at the school for 35 years. His students perform for other children and community groups. But it's not just about having fun, Mondragon said. The class has taught students to speak publicly and gain self-confidence, he said. "They don't feel different when they are in clown class," Mondragon said.