Dana Yates /Daily Journal Battlestar Galactica star Michael Trucco signs photos for students at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough.

Lessons can be learned anywhere — in a class about Battlestar Galactica or from one of the stars in the hit sci-fi drama.

San Mateo native Michael Trucco spent lunchtime Tuesday with the Battlestar Galactica class at Crystal Springs Uplands School. Yes, the handsome movie and small screen star is a hometown boy. Yes, Crystal Springs Uplands has a special elective class devoted to studying the sci-fi drama. And yes, there is plenty to learn about history, psychology and sociology from Battlestar Galactica.

Trucco plays Samuel Anders, a character written for the recent incarnation of the show. He is the first actor to breathe life into the new character and he earned his early acting credits in the Bay Area. Trucco, 38, attended Serra High School and Santa Clara University before moving to Los Angeles. He is also the brother-in-law of Crystal Springs Athletic Director Michael Flynn, who helped arrange the visit after learning of the Battlestar Galactica class.

Battlestar Galactica, originally a 1970s television show, was remade into a mini series in 2003 and a regular SciFi Channel show in 2005. The basic plot remains the same: Human struggle to survive in a remote part of the universe after Cylon robots nearly destroy the civilization. Humans are set in a war against the Cylons, struggling to save the race.

There are the obvious history lessons about war, leadership and collapse of civilizations. However, students are also presented with more difficult social issues like: At what point would the population be so low that abortion would be outlawed or prisoners would be released to fight wars? Each episode is 20 to 30 minutes long, allowing students about the same amount of time after the show to discuss the issues, said ninth grade history teacher Peter Corvas.

Corvas decided to start the class after his twin brother introduced him to the program. He figured the show would generate enough interest from students to sustain a whole class. He was right — approximately 15 to 20 students meet once a week for the trimester elective, Corvas said.

Students yesterday asked more obvious questions about acting and Hollywood, but Trucco offered some lessons of his own.

He said landing his first commercial was a “complete fluke” and admitted his professional life has involved a lot of luck.

“But ultimately, you have to have the chops to succeed,” Trucco told the students.

He vigorously pursued his dream and was eventually awarded with simultaneous roles in Battlestar Galactica, a couple episodes of One Tree Hill and a movie called Next. His opportunities also forced him to make tough decisions. Trucco ultimately chose to stick with Battlestar, passing up a reoccurring role on the popular One Tree Hill.

His toughest acting moment was learning how to play a role never played before and how to depict Anders’ life-altering revelation. Like in real life, Trucco had his character focus on “the truth, on what was the center of his compass” and everything else worked, he said.

“Sometime clues are given in the script,” Trucco said. “Sometimes they’re not.”

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.