The Dedicated Officer?
High School Matters
Aaron Bours thrived in high school and got the most out of each day there. After graduating, he wanted to be more than just a college student, so he dropped out of college to join the Israeli Defense Force. This experience changed his life. After settling into a successful and stable career, he decided to come out of the reserves to return to the IDF to fight for his country. This conversation felt fun and lighthearted back when we had it, but has become ever relevant today.
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The Kid Who Got Expelled?
High School Matters
After recording this emotional and revealing conversation, my guest asked me to protect his identity so his name will not be used. My guest entered Great Neck North High School as a 10th grader after being kicked out of a Yeshiva. His risky behavior got him kicked out of GNNHS also, this time for punching another student and sending him to the hospital. He’d always seemed like a nice kid to me, but after hearing stories about him from different people, this conversation was my mission to truly learn about him. We talk about the punch that got him expelled, his home life, taking...
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The Girl Who Found Herself?
High School Matters
Adriana Phillips went through high school on a mission: to find herself. She often felt like her personality had two sides, but she never quite understood why. She looked like she might be a popular cheerleader or prom queen, but instead she was a studious actress. Adriana was driven by this ambiguity. She always questioned and embraced why she felt certain ways. We talk about her struggle in my class, her struggle with boys, and her struggle with her own sexuality. To this day I remember my first moment with Adriana. What I didn’t realize was how much that moment symbolized exactly who...
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The 2 Voices?
High School Matters
Leila and Julia Eshaghpour are identical twins. They were both in my AP Chemistry class together back in 2016. They are hilarious, self-reflective, genuine, and unique young women. We talk about what each of their lives has been like growing up with a mirror image of herself. We dive into topics that identical twins have unique insight into, like comparisons, jealousy, boy drama, separation anxiety, and so much more. Things got emotional when we spoke about when one of their friends—who was also a twin—passed away tragically, and how that impacted their outlooks ever since. The spirit of...
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The Class President?
High School Matters
Benny Laitman started high school as a self-described lanky, nerdy kid. He decided to run for class president in his freshman year and wound up winning. We discuss all of the events that took place because of that victory and how his life has been different ever since. We also discuss how his introduction to life as a doctor was thrown for a loop when he faced a catastrophic situation that changed everything forever. From his high school career to his medical career, he faced many small moments and some big moments that have all had a tremendous impact on his life today.
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The Survivor?
High School Matters
Shayna Domnitch went through high school with relative ease. She was a sweet, pretty, popular, and confident girl back then. She got positive attention from guys and had a lot of close friends, many of whom she is still close with today. Shayna eventually had to face her biggest challenge when she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. We discuss openly how she dealt with this challenge and how her upbringing, her high school life, and her current family have all contributed to the way in which she dealt with this tragedy so bravely and so publicly. Shayna is—and has always...
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The Quiet Kid?
High School Matters
David Niknam was one of the quietest guys I ever had in any of my classes. Even though I had him for 2 years in a row, I never really got to know him. I did many things to try and get him out of his shell: calling on him often, engaging him in discussion, and even offering him extra credit to get up in front of the entire class and yell at me (which most people, especially a kid as quiet as him, would find totally uncomfortable). In a prior podcast conversation (‘The Guy who Sought Discomfort?’), Won Jung and I wondered how David felt about my actions back then and now. In this...
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The Funny Earthling?
High School Matters
Jen Doppelt (@JenExotic) is one of the funniest people I know. Back in high school she pushed the envelope with hilarious and often outrageous comments that got a reaction out of both peers and teachers. It turns out that Jen actually used her humor as a bodyguard, protecting her from stuff she wasn’t ready to deal with. In this conversation Jen opens up about several aspects of her high school life including her sexuality, her humor, sports, the way she treated people in school and so much more. If you can multitask laughing while listening, you will most certainly enjoy this special...
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The Guy in Protection Mode?
High School Matters
Joe Stern went through high school in “protective mode”. As a Russian kid speaking English as his second language, he was bullied at an early age. As much as he really wanted to fit in and bond with his classmates, he never felt quite comfortable, dealing with a lot of anxiety and adopting some eccentric and risky behaviors. Joe has always been a self-aware and sophisticated guy, and in this conversation he offers listeners a unique perspective, openly sharing and reflecting on his regrets in high school.
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The Girl in the Background?
High School Matters
Emily Eyerman never felt important back in her high school days (2002-2006). She had a complicated life at home, so she got used to hiding in the background to protect herself. Ironically she always craved to be seen, which led her to some pretty risky behavior as a teen. Emily is a therapist today, and her ability to self-reflect and open up with me is what makes this particular conversation so special and meaningful to everyone listening. Warning: This episode contains graphic conversation around topics of self-harm and suicide. If these topics may be triggering for you,...
info_outlineSam Eshaghoff is notorious in the SAT world, as he was arrested and charged for cheating on the SATs. Sam was my student back in 2007 while he was at Great Neck North High School. In our conversation, 10 years after he graduated High School, we talk about who he was before, during and after his infamous cheating scandal. We talk about his '60 Minutes' interview, any regrets he may have, his personal growth and so much more.
