The Host
High School Matters
In a full-circle twist, the mic flips. Host Randy Appell becomes the guest as executive producer Jon Fuss takes over to interview the voice behind High School Matters. What follows is a heartfelt, honest, and often hilarious conversation about Randy’s life—his high school memories, the moments that shaped his teaching, and the inspiration behind the podcast itself. This episode peels back the curtain and lets you truly meet Randy: the teacher, the former student, and the man behind the mic.
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The Nostalgic Superfan
High School Matters
Today’s episode is a blast from the past with a twist! I’m joined by Scott Saltiel, who proudly claims the title of High School Matters’ number one fan. Unlike many of my guests, Scott and I weren’t friends back in high school—but over time, we’ve discovered we have way more in common than we ever imagined. Scott is genuine and speaks openly about how much he loved high school, while also being refreshingly honest about the insecurities he’s carried into adulthood—including feeling self-conscious about owning a boat because he worries it makes him look spoiled. This...
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The Guy Who Never Forgot High School
High School Matters
In high school, Jon Shatzkamer (Shatz) was the all-American kid—well-liked, good-looking, kind, and seemingly coasting through life with ease. But years later, everything changed when Jon suffered a brain aneurysm that left him in a coma for weeks. His recovery was nothing short of a miracle. While he now faces some challenges with short-term memory, Jon holds onto incredibly vivid and detailed memories from his past—especially from high school. In this heartfelt episode, we talk about the journey he’s been on, the struggles he’s faced, and the surprising ways his past continues to...
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The Teacher Who Busted Out
High School Matters
Mr. Dubin was one of my favorite teachers in high school, not because he stuck to any script, but because he had his own style. He was quirky, unpredictable, and full of spirit. His class felt fun, personal, and the kind of experience that stays with you for life. In this episode, we look back on what made him so memorable, like the way he connected with students, his creative traditions, and his legendary “bust outs”. The most surprising part? He somehow remembered stories about me from over 30 years ago — in crazy detail! I never set out to copy him, but my classrooms today are like...
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The Comedian Who Thinks I'm Funny
High School Matters
What happens when your oldest friend is also the funniest person you’ve ever met? You laugh… a lot. And maybe grow up a little along the way. In this episode, I sit down with Dave Siegel—stand-up comedian, news writer, and my best friend since the first grade. Dave’s performed on America’s Got Talent, killed on Comedy Central, and toured with comedy legends—but the real gold? That’s always been in our conversations. We talk about how we survived high school by making each other—and everyone else—laugh, the teachers we tortured, the people we made fun of (sorry, kind of),...
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The Guy with the Blue Goatee
High School Matters
In a refreshing twist from my usual conversations with former students, this episode features one of my closest friends from high school, Kenny Eisenstein. Back in 1994, Kenny’s dry, understated humor kept me laughing—and it still does. Like many of us, Kenny looks back on high school with a mix of nostalgia and a few regrets. But overall, he remembers it as one of the best times of his life. What’s especially fascinating is hearing which parts of that teenage world he still wishes he could carry into adulthood. Kenny has always been a thinker with a deep love for the arts,...
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The Camp Owner
High School Matters
Richie Kamen’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Richie went from a poor, insecure, bedwetting kid to the unlikely owner of Camps Equinunk and Blue Ridge, which he somehow purchased with no money and zero entrepreneurial experience. But owning the camps was only the beginning. Richie faced fierce protests and resistance while working to modernize the camps, tackle long-standing challenges, and improve a shocking culture of bad behavior. Against “one-in-a-million odds,” Richie transformed these camps into two of the most beloved sleep-away destinations in America,...
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The Dedicated Hero
High School Matters
Aaron Bours, the student who dropped out of college to become a soldier in the Israeli Defense Force, has returned to speak with me again. This time he is a wounded hero at the center of the world's most divisive war between Israel and Hamas. Hear about the conflict as he experienced it firsthand, how that experience changed him forever, and how he barely made it back alive!
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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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