We Weren't Friends In High School

08/01/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren't Friends In High School 249: Andrew Black!

Andrew grew up with twin sister Lizzie (Episode 215), and while they shared some similarities, Andrew had a different school experience. Andrew reveals how he responded to his father pushing him to improve his grades and make The National Honor Society. He also describes balancing his winning baseball seasons with his losing football seasons, what he learned from his family trips to the Dominican Republic, and why he really went to so many DMB concerts.

Plus, Andrew shares his perspective on twin life, being in an in*******al marriage, and he reacts to the arrest of our teacher and his summertime boss, Matt Milleo.

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**Full Video at https://youtu.be/7isECyDCPjs

Andrew grew up with twin sister Lizzie, and while they shared some similarities, Andrew had a different school experience. Andrew reveals how he responded to...

07/18/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren’t Friends In High School 248, Jessica Helen (Dyer, 2004)!

Jessica came to Wissahickon in 9th grade, and promptly quit playing soccer to get back at her parents for making her move. We discuss bullying for girls, the best *NSYNC member, and how Jessica’s undiagnosed ADD affected her learning.

As school went on, Jessica began partying at a different level than everyone else. Jessica talks about her addiction and recovery, how drugs changed who she was, what she lost and making living amends to repay her family.

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** Full Video is available at https://youtu.be/ghezz2lMwXs

Jessica came to Wissahickon in 9th grade, and promptly quit playing soccer to get back at her parents for making her move. We talk about bullying for girls, ...

06/13/2022

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS246: Class of 2002's Amanda Andresini (Christian)!

Amanda and I go way back to our Middle School production of Dreamgirls! We dive into our musical careers in school, the politics that went into casting, and why Amanda never pursued a career in theater.

Amanda details her falling out with her best friend in 11th Grade, her internal struggles with not being "perfect", and why was blind to the fact that classmates were partying in high school.

In addition, we talk about growing up Jewish, the stresses of starting a family at 38, and Amanda gives me sound advice about Imposter Syndrome!

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A Jew named Christian? Amanda and I go way back to our Middle School production of Dreamgirls! We dive into our musical careers in school, the politics that ...

05/09/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren't Friends In High School 245: Francesco Santo!

Francesco had low self esteem and trouble fitting in, but he buried those insecurities after high school. Now it’s time to dig them up all over again. We talk about our struggles with body image, the post-high school glow up, and confronting our anger and aggression.

And here's a new one: I punched Fran in the face in Mrs. Parker's 7th Grade English Class. We talk about our fighting histories, Fran's first fight ever, and why Fran DIDN'T punch me back! Plus, marrying his high school crush Heather Goodwin Santo, Fran’s recovery from addiction, and how he built himself back up again.

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**Full Video at https://youtu.be/Tnlj2cxEWpc
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Francesco had low self esteem and trouble fitting in, but he burried those insecurities after high school. Now it’s time to dig them up all over again. We ta...

04/25/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren’t Friends In High School 244: Mayor Yaniv Aronson!

The Mayor of Conshohocken joins the podcast to talk about his childhood, moving 10 times before landing at Wissahickon and pulling pranks in school for his show on WTV. Plus, letting go of his filmmaking dream and the unanswered email that inspired him to run for Mayor.

Yaniv takes us inside his first campaign, running against a 4 term incumbent, the end of his “Steelo” character, and the importance his wife Sarah played in not only his first term, but winning re-election. Also, insight to the communication and messaging Yaniv utilized with police and the community during George Floyd and BLM demonstrations.

Come check out the Conshohocken Arts Festival on June 4!
https://www.conshohockenartsfestival.com/

https://www.yanivaronson.com/conshystrong

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The Mayor of Conshohocken joins the podcast to talk about his childhood, moving 10 times before landing at Wissahickon and pulling pranks in school for his S...

04/11/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren’t Friends In High School 243: Coach Kyle Wilson!

Before he became the Varsity Basketball Coach and Middle School English Teacher, Kyle Wilson was a Wissahickon student (Class of ’85)! Coach joins the podcast to talk about cutting through the woods in the 80s, playing tough against the older kids at Knight's Park, and why he picked basketball as the sport to pursue.

Coach also talks about switching his college major, leaving Susquehanna after his parents’ divorce, and the unique jobs he worked to put himself through school at Millersville.

And Coach Wilson reveals why he was hesitant to take the Head Coach position when he returned to Wissahickon, the complexities of coaching his own kids, memorable players through the years, and the responsibility of being a black teacher/coach.

*We Weren’t Friends In High School is available EVERYWHERE you listen to podcasts!
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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/aE2p55fKqsk

Before he became the Varsity Basketball Coach and Middle School English Teacher, Kyle Wilson was a Wissahickon student (Class of '85)! Coach joins the podcas...

03/25/2022

What happens when Brad goes to the bathroom?

What happens when Brad goes to the bathroom during a recent recording with Joe Ronca & Pete Baker? Full Episode: https://youtu.be/At0ZQwPAvT4We Weren't Frien...

03/21/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my GUESTS for We Weren't Friends In High School 242: Class of 2000's Joe Ronca and Pete Baker!

Just some guys drinking some double IPAs in the daytime, no big deal. It’s my first 2-Guest Podcast as Joe and Pete talk about their friendship growing up and how they've become even better friends as they've gotten older.

Joe has had a passion for film ever since the Blizzard of ’93. We talk about some of his experiences as an amateur shooter, why he turned down a college scholarship, and how a s*x scene in the snow that he helped shoot ended up on screen at the Montgomery County Community College Film Festival (I've actually watched this movie).

We also talk about Pete's move from Ambler Catholic to Shady Grove, his days on the winless football team, changing directions after his start at St. Vincent's, and getting the teaching bug!

We do a lot of laughing, they do a lot of voices, I sing some songs, and we break open the 2000 Yearbook!

http://www.keasbeymattison.com/

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Joe and Pete became friends in Elementary School, and they brought beer to talk about it! It’s my first 2-Guest Podcast as we follow Joe’s passion for film f...

03/07/2022

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren't Friends In High School 241: Jennifer Shim!

Jen shares a lot of insight on what it was like at Wissahickon as a Korean American, why she gravitated towards Asian friends in school, and being labeled as "whitewashed" because of who she dated.

We discuss our career options going into college, Jen analyzes her risk averse career path into Investment Management, and why she was so different than her sister, who became a surgeon!

And who remembers the Truth Board? Jen gives me the scoop on this bullying rumor mill on the girls' bathroom wall and how different it was from my experience having fights with guys.

Plus, Jen's obsessive *NSYNC fandom and we name as many 90s movies as we can think of!

We Weren't Friends In High School is available EVERYWHERE you get podcasts!
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Full Video available at: https://youtu.be/1Vwt06H09iI

Do you remember where you sat in 5th Grade? Jen does! Shady Grove memories, what a Middle School boyfriend was really like, and Jen's hillarious fantasy invo...

02/21/2022

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren't Friends In High School 240: Lauren Davis!

Lauren was the girl I didn't know in line at Graduation rehearsal, but there was a (sorta) good reason for that. She didn't come to Wissahickon until 10th Grade!

Lauren discusses her Phoenixville origins, the culture shock of moving to Kentucky in 7th Grade, and how she ended up at Wissahickon in 10th grade.

Lauren shares how she was impacted by her parents' divorce, and we compare our tumultuous relationships with our dads.

Plus, her dating app disasters, working at QVC, and moving to Charlotte!

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** Video is available at https://youtu.be/fvOvaJYQQZo

The Girl I Didn't Know at graduation FINALLY joins the pod, and it turns out we a lot in common! Lauren discusses her Phoenixville origins, moving to Kentuck...

02/07/2022

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren’t Friends In High School 239: Hank Jones!

From Ambler to Hollywood, Hank packed up his car and moved across the country to pursue his passion in screenwriting. He talks about the grind to get his foot in the door, overcoming disappointment, and landing his dream-job of working on Peacock’s “Bel-Air.”

Plus, Hank talks about his struggle to bond with a black community growing up, the racism that pushed him away from his Middle School friends, and how his outlook changed when his cousin Dave joined him in High School.

Hank takes us behind-the-scenes as we discuss his career on projects such as “Blackish,” “The New Edition Story,” and his start on BET’s “The Game.”

Don’t forget to watch “Bel-Air” Sunday February 13 on Peacock!

* Video available at https://youtu.be/U2bkMYkPu5o

* Audio Podcast at: https://wwfinhighschool.libsyn.com/wwfinhs239-hank-jones-2002

From Ambler to Hollywood, Hank packed up his car and moved across the country to pursue his passion in screenwriting. He talks about the grind to get his foo...

01/24/2022

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 238: Chris Hoagland! Chris is is the first guest to only attend Wissahickon Middle School. It’s an interesting story, coming from private school, begging to attend public school. But it didn’t last long as the bullying became too much, and before High School, Chris transferred to LaSalle. We talk about the differences between Wissahickon and LaSalle, his battles with bullying, and he explains why LaSalle was like a job.

Chris also opens up about his battles with alcohol in his teens and 20s, what he learned about himself and addiction, and how he’s able to turn his past into a positive.

Chris tells some stories of the upper class that befriended him AFTER he left Wissahickon and whether he would’ve stayed if he had met them one year prior.

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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/JwyEAqttqks

Chris begged to go to Wissahickon Middle School, his first public school. But he left the high school for LaSalle because of bullying. Chris talks about the ...

12/06/2021

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for We Weren’t Friends In High School 237: Jennifer Mackaman aka Jen Sloss. I’ve known Jen since our first elementary school, Mattison Avenue. We talk about growing up in different parts of Ambler, the days when kids made friends by playing outside, and why I was afraid of Knights Park.

Jen has always wanted to be a Nurse. We look at Jen’s Tech School career, getting paid her Senior Year of High School, MONTCO’s Nursing program, and I pull out the 5th Grade Shady Grove Yearbook to see what she put for her future career!

Plus Jen talks about husband and classmate, Sean Mackaman (Episode 119), having a large family, and we actually get a guest appearance from Sean to take a look at that beard!

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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/_0c0GCUxwf0

Jen joins the podcast to talk old school Ambler days when kids played outside, memories of Knights Park, and growing up with all sisters. Plus, going tech sc...

11/22/2021

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for this Extra Credit Episode of We Weren’t Friends In High School: Ms McCracken! Ms McCracken was my 12th grade English teacher. I’ve told the story perhaps once or twice, but I was dangerously close to failing her class. Not only that, I caused a scene a couple of times over selected readings and movies that were assigned to us. Ms McCracken has a completely new take on my grades that year, we discuss Michael Caine & Christopher Reeve’s 1985 film “Deathtrap” as well as Margaret Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies.”

Also, Ms McCracken was a student at Wissahickon before coming back as a teacher. We discuss the oddness of switching to the other side, who she became friends with over the years, and the pranks she was known to pull on Mr. Quimby.

We also get into one or the more well known dark clouds over our school’s faculty, predatory teachers. Ms McCracken details her experiences with Mr. Milleo, the inappropriate behaviors she witnessed, and how she was warned away from reporting it to the higher ups. We also talk about the s*xist atmosphere that existed at Wissahickon that she believes allowed such behavior to exist in the first place.

And where did Ms McCracken go when she left Wissahickon 15 years ago? I have the answer, New Zealand! Ms McCracken talks about why she left her teaching job in the US, the mental health obstacles she was forced to confront, and the rough start to her move. She also tells us about the happiness she found, the stark contrasts Wissahickon has to New Zealand schools, and living in lockdown with her husband.

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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/pLrixsUGySI

My 12th Grade English Teacher joins the podcast to talk about her transition from Wiss student to Wiss teacher, my ups and downs in her class, and leaving sc...

11/08/2021

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 236: Adam Salter! Adam isn’t much for social media these days, but I was able to get a hold of him on LinkedIn! We have a great chat about our early years in Wissahickon, making friends in the Pods, and Adam looks back at his own interactions with the opinion that he could’ve done better. Also, life lessons we missed out on in school, the pressures of picking a college, major, and career at 17, and the mirrored pressures of “figuring it out” when you graduate college. Plus, Adam reveals why he probably would’ve went to Tech School if he could do it over.

Adam was always one of my favorite people to talk music with in class, so we look back at some of our favorite artists and albums, the old MTV, and the start of P2P downloading. Kazaa anyone?

*We Weren’t Friends In High School is available everywhere you get your podcasts!
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Adam and I reconnect for the first time since Graduation to talk about coming up in the Pod system in middle school, our opposite experiences in the 13th gra...

10/25/2021

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for Episode 235 Monica Shoukri! I always though Monica was somewhat intimidating in high school, and she reveals that she got that a lot. We talk about Monica’s early days in school feeling confused, skipping school, and getting in fights. Monica also bravely discusses her battle with addiction after high school, her sobriety, and being a proud mother.

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Monica was a confused child with an intimidating reputation. We discuss girls beating up boys, first impressions, and going into the work force rather than g...

10/11/2021

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 234: Cassie Hunter. Cassie is the first guest I didn’t know at all. She was in the yearbook, I tracked her down to do the podcast, and she said yes!

Cassie talks about her move from Conestoga to Wissahickon in 11th grade, her memories of being shy and not knowing anyone upon moving, her favorite moments of that era in music and movies, and some of the wildness she sees being a Park Ranger in Philadelphia!

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Cassie was a shy kid who moved with her family to Wissahickon in the middle of 11th grade. Cassie talks about some of her memories of teaching daycare, the a...

09/27/2021

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 233: Jon Diaz! Jon is the first J-O-N I ever met, and I reveal about how his name and a book report got me in trouble with my dad in Middle School.

Jon talks about his early love of video games, why he never went out for school activities, our days in Chorus together, and his first job at McDonald's in Ambler!

But outside of the Jon we knew, there was another Jon, Church Jon. Jon was raised in a conservative Christian home, accepting Christ at 6 years old. He discusses the conflicts that arose between his religion and school life such as the selection of songs we sing in chorus and dating classmates. Jon is very honest about his reservations in high school romance, moments that solidified his convictions, and marrying his wife that he’s known since they were 10 years old!

Jon also shares the importance of his friendship with first guest Mike Clyburn, and how Mike introduced him to a world outside of the church, new perspectives, and rock music.

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Jon struggled to fit in and develop relationships while maintaining his faith in Christ, and while Chorus gave him a chance to shine, Jon preferred fitting i...

09/14/2021

Shout out to Mr. Dixon! Great teachers need their flowers!

Who had him?

09/13/2021

Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 232: Bianca Mercer! Bianca’s journey from Hartford, CT to Lower Gwynedd was a very drastic change from the life she had known.

Bianca arrived in Middle School with a sharp wit and sense of sarcasm, stemming from her almost exclusive world of West Indians and Hispanics. She had a real fear when she arrived that she would say the wrong thing and not fit in. Bianca felt much more comfortable in her neighborhood, living next door and across the street from several classmates. It’s one of both of our best friends that bonds us, her neighbor Elissa Taylor. Bianca talks about her place in the neighborhood as the only teenage black girl, her relationship with Elissa and her family, and the noticeable difference between their neighborhood and where many other minorities in our school lived.

Bianca also discusses transitioning out of her early tomboy and “bad girl” years, giving up her first love of soccer to join the basketball team, and how Jess Ignont (Davis) crushed most of her athletic dreams (WE LOVE YOU, JESS)!!!

Plus, that time I saw Bianca on the ATL Hawks Kiss Cam, why Bianca was jealous of Lizzie Black, and a look at “Too Close” by NEXT and other dirty songs from our youth!

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Bianca moved from Hartford, CT to the Philly Suburbs. Prior to moving, she only had experiences with West Indians and Hispanics. She talks about the cultural...

08/09/2021

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 231, Homecoming Queen Jen Fitz aka Jenny Martin! Despite the fact that I had class with Jen’s sister and always saw her mom around for years in the Library, I never got to know Jen. She says that’s kinda the way her high school career went because she was always wrapped up in her relationship. We talk about dating classmate Pat Emery, the old-school way he asked her out, and how the relationship lasted so long at such a young age.

We also discuss standing up for yourself in the halls, handling conflict, and how Jen dealt with getting yanked out of her seat by another classmate during Lunch.

Plus, what does Jen look for improvement for her own kids in the school system, learning vs. memorization, and going along with opportunities that she never planned for.

And of course we talk about that fateful day Jen took the field as Homecoming Queen: how she won the votes, all of the attention on her, and how she remembers it in her life today.

*We Weren’t Friends In High School is available EVERYWHERE you listen to podcasts.
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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/xBOj7mHu34g

Our Homecoming Queen reveals what it was like to win the crown and have all of the attention on her, her long-term relationship with classmate Pat, and getti...

07/26/2021

Please welcome my guest for WWF230: Jeff Pan!

Jeff talks about the friends he made upon moving to Wissahickon in 9th grade, the tears he cried over the Basketball Team and the scars that the Football Team left on his soul. Also, how Jeff’s curiosity pushed him to start cutting class in 12th grade so that he could secretly enroll in a Computer Science class at MONTCO.

And while Jeff wasn’t a top student, he talks about the drive that pushes a person to get better, and boy did he. Jeff discusses his short time at Penn State: graduating in 2.5 years, his friendship with classmate Bethany Smith, and his memories from her passing Freshman Year at PSU.

This is where Jeff’s story gets really inspirational. After college, Jeff backpacked around the world, eventually coming home to apply his knowledge of travel and staying in hostels to build his own company putting up Hostels in New York. It was there that he was motivated to create NEW software for the hotel industry to fix the problems the current software was causing him. Yada yada yada, created software for Booking.com, some job he can’t talk about with a space company, and now he’s in SINGAPORE Consulting for businesses all over the world!

Jeff also boosts my ego by discussing what he enjoys about the podcast, the reasons it connects with others and some great perspectives about succeeding, like - Why your chances of success are correlated to how fast you can fail. Plus, find out how Kerry McCormick influenced Jeff’s Yearbook entry!

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Video is available at https://youtu.be/vK4MF1B6atk

All the way from SINGAPORE, Jeff is the 2nd International Guest to join the pod! Coming to Wiss in 9th grade, why Zack Morris was a negative influence on our...

07/12/2021

Good Morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 229: Zach Rowe! Zach liked being the new guy, as he attended 3 high schools in 4 years and lived in 5 states growing up. While he never had a chance to be “local,” when he moved to Lower Gwynned, he chose to attend Wissahickon where he’d meet his wife, Maria.

If you’ve listened to episode 227 with Maria, you know some of the stories about their early dating, but what about Zach’s life prior to meeting Maria? Zach talks about his family roots, his biological father, and why his family moved so much as a kid. Plus, his connections to Hugo Chávez, Beyoncé & George Foreman!

Zach talks about what he liked about moving to the Suburbs, joining the football team, and the life lessons you learn when you’re on a team that loses just about every single game…and that one time he got in a fight with Mr. Stokes!

Following high school, Zach went on a bit of a dark path, his family left the day after graduation, this time without him. Zach talks about having to report to Summer School just so he could have a place to stay, and the legal troubles that began following him as he hopped around colleges throughout the country. But that’s just who Zach WAS, it’s not who he is TODAY. He details how the Marine Corps. saved his life, his bond with Maria grew even stronger, and he became a family man, while harnessing a passion he discovered in his youth, cooking.

Zach lets a lot go in this conversation, as he says, he’s “Pretty f**kin’ real.”

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**Video is available at https://youtu.be/sisTYbVGBcw

Zach was the always The New Kid. Wissahickon was Zach’s 3rd High School in as many years. We discuss why he and his parents moved around a lot, where he spen...

06/14/2021

Good morning! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 228: Jeff Marsico! Jeff and I reflect on some of our A-Hole days in our youth including the time I traded blows with Vern at Teen Night and Jeff’s love for being a School Safety!

Jeff also takes us through his path to become a Pastry Chef at an early age. However, shortly after school, Jeff was super disappointed in his real life experience and the “Whiplash” like mentor that killed his passion. Jeff talks about starting over back home and the reaction to him deciding to join the family business of Financial Planning.

In addition, Jeff laughs about the first-time experiences as a white guy from the suburbs marrying his Indian wife, entering a new culture with a new family, and having bi-racial children!

And if you’re interested in some Financial Planning, check Jeff out!
https://www.dsfg.com/team-member/jeffrey-e-marsico-clu

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Jeff spent most of his high school days focused on his passion for pastry in hopes of becoming a chef. When he finally started on his path, he had an unexpec...

05/31/2021

Happy Memorial Day! Please welcome my guest for WWFINHS 227, Maria Rowe! As the oldest daughter of Italian Immigrants, Maria had a strict upbringing that dictated who she could be friends with, where she could go, and what was expected of her after high school.

Maria talks about starting at Ambler Catholic and her core group of friends that shared similar familial backgrounds. We discuss the intimidation of the big public school and what it was like making the jump into Wissahickon for 9th grade. In addition, we dive into our post-high school lack of planning, moving on to MONTCO, and what the "American Dream" expectation was for Maria from her parents.

Plus, I think we all know Maria married fellow classmate Zach Rowe, but what was the courting process like and how did her parents ever agree to let her date an American boy from Texas? We talk about the untraditional characteristics of the marriage: not having a church ceremony, moving away from her family, and becoming the wife of a US Marine.

Also, the heartfelt story that brought Maria and Zach back home for a very limited time to care for her father and deliver an unexpected surprise.

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Maria came from a strict family and a small Catholic school. Fears entering Wissahickon, being first generation Italian American, and Maria’s strict family h...