Nichols Talk Podcast

In this episode, we interview Evie and A.J., they begin talking about what led them to run for Student Council President and some of the things they push for in the community. They then talk about what really goes into being the class presidents and the time commitments they put into the community. Evie and A.J. then share how the two of them work together as they both have strong opinions and fight for what they think is right, while also still being able to respect each other for the greater good of the school.  To hear more about Evie and A.J., you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Ms. Achatz, an upper school art teacher and advisor. She talks about some of her teaching methods that help develop young artists. Ms. Achatz also talks about her more advanced level classes and some of the guidance she has to point them in the right direction. To hear more about Ms. Achatz, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Ross Yoshida and Brian Brazee, Varsity baseball pitcher and coach. They talk about their baseball journey's and what led each of them to Nichols. Ross begins to talk about the balance between baseball and school and what he envisions the season looking like for him and the team. Coach Brazee talks about his team and how he has begun to build it into a successful team with a good legacy. To hear more about Ross and Coach Brazee, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.  

In this episode, we interview Mr. Mauser, he talks about his early life living in Germany for a few years as a child. He then talks about his young adult life and how he got into teaching. Mr. Mauser also shares how he got recruited for college soccer and how it differs from the recruitment process now. To hear more about Mr. Mauser, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Ms. Tibollo, she talks about her experiences at Nichols as a student and how they compare to her experiences now as a teacher. She also talks about her past career and what led her back to teaching history at Nichols. Ms. Tibollo then shares a little bit about her passion for Model UN and her excitement to get it back at Nichols. To hear more about Ms. Tibollo, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Ms. O, she talks about life as a college counselor and what goes into getting students into the school that's best for them. She then talks about the transition from high school to college and some of the more non-traditional routes to some professions. To hear more about Ms. O, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Mark Stahlka and Matt Hartman, coaches of the Boys' Varsity Basketball team. They talk about what got them into basketball growing up and their role models that inspired them. Coach Stahlka and Coach Hartman share about their experiences in coaching and what led them to Nichols. To hear more about Coach Stahlka and Coach Hartman, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.

In this episode, we interview Tre Paulfrey and Heze Hall, both a part of the Nichols basketball team. Tre and Heze share some steps in their basketball career that have led them to where they are today. They also talk about their upcoming basketball season, along with some of the goals they have for the team and themselves. To hear more about Tre and Heze, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify. Hosted by Dru Schmidt and Joe Conte

In this episode, we interview Taylor Pietrowski, a Nichols alum who played hockey at Cornell University. Taylor shares her experiences from her time as a student-athlete and the challenges of balancing academics and athletics, while still playing at a high level. She also opens up about life after college and the transition from hockey to professional life. To hear more about Taylor, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.   Hosted by Brynn Bacak and Paige Pilote

In this episode, we interview Glenn Kaifas, a dedicated member of the athletic community. Glenn brings a wealth of knowledge to the athletes he trains, helping them to improve every aspect of their athletic performance. He also gives insights on how to improve health for athletic performance and the difference between girl's and boy's health. To hear more about Glenn, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify. Hosted by Brynn Bacak and Molly Duffett

In this episode, we interview Glenn Kaifas, a dedicated member of the athletic community. Glenn brings a wealth of knowledge to the athletes he trains, helping them to improve every aspect of their athletic performance. He also gives insights on how to improve health for athletic performance and the difference between girl's and boy's health. To hear more about Glenn, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.   Hosted by Brynn Bacak and Molly Duffett

In this episode, we interview Jacob Stoffman, a current senior at Nichols and Squash commit to Hamilton College. Diving into Jacob's experience with squash, we learn about everything from his introduction to the sport as a young child at Nichols to his choice to take Squash to the next level in college. Jacob speaks about his struggles with the recruiting experience and how much practice, playing, and watching is needed to excel and be noticed at the collegiate level. To hear more about Jacob, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment.

In this episode, we interview two players on the Girls Varsity Basketball Team. While facing many hardships this season due to the loss of three key players, the team managed to succeed in the Monsignor Martin League. Two of the main drivers this season were Bri Barr Buday, a senior who has been dominant on the court since she arrived at Nichols, and Madisen Wilson, a junior who took on a large role this year as an offensive threat.  Bri and Maddie discuss the ups and downs of the season while giving us background about their love for the game and much more.   Hosted by Sofia Suero and Chase Carter

In this episode, our guest, Marley Maidment, a recent Nichols graduate and founder of the Nichols Talk podcast, talks about his years at Nichols. While initially giving us the details of how Nichols Talk was created and run, Marley transitions to his current life at the School of Art Institute of Chicago as a sophomore. To hear more about Marley, you can listen to the full podcast on Podbean, Apple Music, or Spotify.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment

In this episode, we interview TJ and Scibor, two talented seniors at Nichols who play important roles on the Prep Hockey team. TJ, who was originally on the podcast in the previous year as the Federation Team's Captain is joining us again along with Brayden, who transferred to Nichols from Lancaster High School as a Junior. As we dive into the team's journey, we hear about lessons and challenges while also learning about individual goals and hopes from TJ and Brayden and so much more.   Hosted by Sofia Suero and Molly Duffett.

In this episode, we interview Mr. Bryggman, a new member of the Nichols community this year. With a rich artistic history and a degree in Cinematics from Binghamton University, Bryggman's experiences led him to eventually pursue a career in visual arts and move to Buffalo, a city filled with art to explore. As we dive into Bryggman's story, we hear about his dual love for baseball and the arts and how he has balanced these two passions throughout his life, from high school in Westchester to working at Nichols as a coach and teacher, and so much more.   Hosted by Sofia Suero and Tommy Maidment.

Hello and welcome back to Nichols Talk, in this episode, we interview Mr. Larry Desautels. In addition to his love for Irish literature, Mr. Desautels speaks about his forty-four-year path of coaching women's soccer which led him to acquire over six hundred wins. As we dive into Mr. Desautel's story, we hear about everything from his journey before Nichols to the changes in the school over many years, making this story one of a kind.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment and Sofia Suero.

In this episode we introduce our new Head of School, Mr. Leroy. Starting off, Mr. Leroy explains his role at Nichols and how his experience has been moving from New Hampshire to Buffalo. We then discuss his experiences in teaching and coaching at boarding schools across the Northeast. Diving even further back, he talks about his own upcoming, his love for hockey, and his journey to being where he is today, and more.   Hosted by Brynn Bacak and Chase Carter.

In this episode, we interview Coach Stone, a member of the Nichols community for over forty years. During Stone's youth, many opportunities in sports now available were off-limits to women. Despite this, after excelling athletically in high school, Stone attended St. Lawrence where she studied Physical Education and played sports. Along her journey, Stone played and took leadership roles in basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse, which eventually led her to be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. This podcast focuses on the story of Stone as an athlete, while touching on her coaching at Nichols, the shift of "the game" over time, and much more.   Hosted by Molly Duffett and Brynn Bacak.

In this episode, we interview Talvin Ghag and his father Kavel Ghag. The two were visiting their old family friend, Tommy.  Coming from London, Talvin and Kavel begin by sharing their first thoughts on Buffalo. Then, focusing on Talvin, we explore his passion for food and his journey to becoming a chef back in London. We hear about special experiences, good laughs, the passing of the family "torch," and more.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment.

Starting off this year, we interviewed Mr. Morris, a.k.a "Jaymo." Mr. Morris teaches many junior and senior students and also serves as the late hall proctor. Although known by students for his multipurpose classroom in Center 63', in this podcast we dive deep into Mr. Morris' passion for restoring cars, remodeling houses, and playing hockey. After discussing his interesting journey from Division 1 hockey to teaching at Nichols, Mr. Morris leaves us with some advice for those looking to pursue their own passion.   Hosted by Sofia Suero and Tommy Maidment.

In this episode we interview Coach Michael Benedict, the head coach for the Boys Prep Hockey Team. Mr. Benedict has played and coached hockey all around the country, including teams such as the Corpus Christi Ice Rays and the Alexandria Blizzard. Shortly after coming back to Buffalo, Benedict came to coach for the Nichols Boys Prep Team. This will be Mr. Benedicts last year at Nichols as he is leaving to coach for the Junior Sabres, a travel hockey team in Buffalo. We discuss his journey in hockey, his experience coaching here, and Mr. Benedicts plans for the future as a hockey coach and more.   Hosted by Chase Carter and Molly Duffett.

In this episode, we interview Dr. Harry Cohen, a graduate of the Nichols class of 1973. After graduating from Nichols, Dr. Cohen would go on to study psychology and executive coaching at Cornell University. Not only has Dr. Cohen been a mentor and coached thousands on Heliotropic Leadership, the theme of many of his presentations, but he has also written a book and founded a restaurant. During our conversations with Dr. Cohen, we explore this idea of Heliotropic Leadership along with his journey and experiences in his career.   Hosted by Molly Duffett and Chase Carter.

Hello and welcome back to Nichols Talk, in this episode we interview Ron Montesano, a Spanish teacher here at Nichols. In addition to Spanish, Mr. Montesano also plays, coaches, and writes about golf and is a big leader of the Bald for Bucks movement in Buffalo. Mr. Montesano tells us about the journey that Bald for Bucks has been through in the last twenty years and how the program has advanced, background stories about the stylists and volunteers, and more.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment and John Boscarino.

Congratulations to our Federation Hockey Team for winning the State Championship for the second time in two years. The team, made up of mostly Freshmen and Sophomores, surprised many other teams by beating St. Francis to become the Monsignor Martin Champions. Shortly after, they moved on to states to beat Chaminade. In this episode, we discuss the journeys this team has been through this season and some of the difficulties that they have had to overcome. TJ Bamrick, the captain of the team talks especially about the leadership role that he had on the team this season. We hear from Dru Schmidt about the role that he is going to be possibly taking over next year and what his goals will be and more.   Hosted by Molly Duffett and Chase Carter.

In this episode, we interview Henry Chambers and Elise Glahe, the two current co-presidents. We discuss the behind-the-scenes duties of the co-presidents and how much they contribute to our daily schedule. Then, we dive into the lives of Henry and Elise and discuss the topics of sports, clubs, and what the future looks like for each of these seniors. Elise, being a transfer student from Niagara Falls High School, shares her story and interests such as swimming. Henry on the other hand, has been at Nichols for a while and is deeply involved in activities such as Prep C Hockey and Investment Club, and more.

During this episode, we interview Linda Ullmark, a recent Division 1 commit to the University of North Carolina for soccer. In this episode, we discuss Linda's love for soccer and the process of choosing which college she wanted to attend. We also hear stories about her past and what it was like to live in Japan. Congratulations to Linda on her commitment!

During this episode, we talk with Dr. Ramone Alexander, the first and current Director of Inclusivity and Community Building. After receiving a bachelor's degree in psychology from Columbia and a doctorate in medicine from UB, he came to Nichols in 2016 and taught Algebra. Dr. Alexander talks about the meaning and impact of his work at Nichols and also gives us some life skills and advice for people all around. Another thing discussed are the favorite hobbies of Dr. Alexander, cooking and playing golf, which he dives deep into and why he enjoys them.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment and John Boscarino.

As the season starts to wrap up, Nichols Hockey players London Goodwin and Jacob Brunton give us their insight on the team's progress and goals for this year. As these players have both been at Nichols since their Freshman year, it is interesting to hear about the journey they have experienced from three years ago to now. Along with this we also hear about favorite moments and how these student athletes manage school along with a busy hockey schedule and more.   Hosted by Chase Carter and Molly Duffett.

In this podcast, we interview and learn about Glenn Kaifas, an essential trainer to many athletes in Buffalo and a successful entrepreneur. To start off, Glenn describes his college experiences and his decisions in life that allowed him to be a great trainer and businessman. More specifically, Kaifas describes his goal as someone in medicine and what he wants to achieve in his business. As someone who has trained and coached many star athletes to the next level, he speaks a lot of the importance he places on health and more.   Hosted by Molly Duffett and John Boscarino

In this episode, our guest, Lucas Suero, a recent Nichols graduate and a founder of the Nichols Talk Podcast, talks about his experience at Cornell, his transition from high school to college, and more. One major thing that Lucas is involved in is the project to raise money for the Sol y Luna school and hotel for children in Peru.    Hosted by Molly Duffett and Tommy Maidment

Julia Peters, a recent Division I commit to Niagara University for lacrosse and Kiersten Smith, a Brown University Division I commit for field hockey, play sports together and are close friends at Nichols. In this podcast, we discuss the journey of these two girls as they developed in their respective sports. They also talk about the process of choosing a school, the day-to-day life of a college athlete and more. (This episode will be the last before the holiday break).   Hosted by Molly Duffett.

In this podcast, we interview Daniel Edwards, the new Nichols Athletic Trainer. We discuss Mr. Edward's journey to Nichols all the way from Brooklyn, his interest in sports medicine, and an insider on his day-to-day life at his job. Mr. Edwards also talks about his family and his high school years, which played a part in his drive towards sports medicine and more.   Hosted by Molly Duffett and Chase Carter.

In this podcast, we learn more about Juan Carlos, the Nichols Director of Facilities and the head of the Junior Varsity Boys' Soccer Team. He discusses about his home country, Spain, and the region he lived in, the Basque region and his journey to all the way to Nichols.  Hosted by Chase Carter and Tommy Maidment.

With this special episode, we feature Tommy Enstice, a Nichols Alumni from the class of '22, and his roommate at the University of Pennsylvania, David. Tommy, a former member of Nichols podcast, has returned to Buffalo with David, who is originally from England. In this episode, our guests discuss their first few weeks at UPenn as an academic and social standpoint. They also describe the process of moving from high school to a college life and much more.   Hosted by Tommy Maidment and John Boscarino

Mr. (Austin) Farber is the new Director of Advancement at Nichols along with his title as one of the Junior Varsity Boys Soccer Coaches. As this being his first year at Nichols, Mr. Farber discusses his journey to Nichols, detail about his work, and more in the podcast. Hosted by Tommy Maidment and John Boscarino

Jake Zimmer and Charlie Stein are Nichols Alumni of the class of 2010. Both Mr. Zimmer and Mr. Stein have remained integral to today's Nichols community with their work on the One Last Goal Foundation: A non-profit endowment established in remembrance of their beloved Nichols peer, Matthew Benedict. On the podcast, Mr. Zimmer and Mr. Stein speak of their experiences at Nichols and how individuals have influenced their beautiful foundation which focuses on bringing awareness to athletes' mental health. If interested in the foundation: https://www.onelastgoal.com Hosted by Tommy Enstice  

This is the final episode of the Nichols Talk 2021-2022 season. All four founding members are beyond grateful for this fantastic opportunity Nichols has supported us with. We want to thank all of our devoted listeners, notable guests, mentors, and all who helped us create what we envisioned the Nichols Podcast to be. Although our time on the podcast has ended, we are excited to see where next year's podcast class takes this. Thank you! Hosted by Lucas Suero, Sal Deni, Tommy Enstice, and Marley Maidment.

Ben Robare is the mechanical leader of the Nichols Robotics team. The Nichols Robotics team has recently succeeded in going to the world championships in Texas. On the podcast, Ben speaks about his experience on the team, his process in building his self-solving Rubix cube machine, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Sal Deni

Mason Sanden is a student-athlete in the class of 2024 and is a crucial member of the Nichols varsity mens lacrosse team. On the podcast, Mason talks about his interests in fashion design, his love for the Nichols lacrosse team, and more.  Hosted by Tommy Enstice and Marley Maidment

Warren Gelman is an alumnus of the Nichols class of 1963 and continued his academic career at Yale. On the podcast, Mr. Gelman talks about Nichols' first female hockey team, his family's lineage within the Nichols Community, Nichols Donors, and much more. Hosted by Sal Deni and Tommy Enstice

Andrew Sutherland is an English and film teacher in the Nichols' high school. Dr. Sutherland is known as the most optimistic teacher at Nichols, even in the dire situation he has experienced over the last year. After being diagnosed with the extremely rare disease, DPAM, the Nichols Community is beyond excited to welcome him back to campus. We wish him nothing less than a healthy and quick recovery. In the Podcast, Dr. Sutherland talks about why he created the Nichols Film Class, his road to achieving his 2nd-degree martial arts black belt, his experience with DPAM, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Sal Deni  

Daniel Rabb is a high school algebra and calculus teacher whose unique teaching style and noticeable voice are known around campus. Mr. Rabb is always available for extra help and believes it's the key to understanding topics in depth. On the podcast, Mr. Rabb talks about his 30 job career, how his teaching style originated, his unconditional love for Star Wars, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Sal Deni 

Christopher Burner is Nichols' very own headmaster. Known around campus for his big smile under the mask, Mr. Burner loves to talk to everyone, anytime. On the podcast, Mr. Burner talks about the excellence of Nichols' sports teams, Nichols's future renovations, and much more.  Hosted by Sal Deni and Tommy Enstice

Jim Shepard and Karen Shepard are writers and English professors at Williams College who recently visited Nichols. Both individuals have a great sense of humor and can connect with any audience. In the podcast, the Shepard's talk about their experiences as writers, advice for aspiring writers, some rather comedic stories, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Sal Deni

Randall Xiao is known at Nichols for his incredible photography skills, capturing all the moments that make Nichols unique. Randall is part of the Chinese Exchange Program and arrived at Nichols in 2020. On the podcast, Randall talks about his inspiration for taking photos, his science behind "capturing moments in time," and much more. If you are interested in seeing Randall's photos, check his Instagram @randyfotos. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Marley Maidment

Claudia Okeefe is a high school math teacher and is known around Nichols for her blue car with the license place that reads "MATHPUNK." In the podcast, Ms. Okeefe talks about her math philosophy, her roller derby career, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Marley Maidment

Quinn Benchley is an outstanding student ('23) in and out of the classroom. Starting on the women's varsity basketball as a freshman, she continues to dominate play as a top point guard in the league. This podcast takes place days before the women's varsity championship basketball game against St. Mary's of Lancaster. The team battled hard, providing a nail-biting performance until the last 10 seconds where they unfortunately lost. Hosted by Tommy Enstice and Sal Deni.

Ron Montesano is a Spanish teacher and golf coach at Nichols who is also known for his role in leading bald for bucks every year. This podcast takes place the day after bald for bucks occurred at Nichols, and all three members speaking completely shaved their heads in efforts to raise money for cancer research. In the podcast, Mr. Montesnao cracks some jokes, speaks about his love for bald for bucks, his championship-winning golf team, and much more. Hosted by Lucas Suero and Sal Deni

Meg Auerbach is the high school dean of students and a graduate of the class of '99. In the podcast, Mrs. Auerbach talks about her senior elective, entrepreneurial studies, her experience working for the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and much more. Hosted by Tommy Enstice and Marley Maidment

Andrea Mancuso has taught filmmaking and photography at Nichols for 23 years and is currently the head of the arts department.  In the podcast, Dr. Mancuso speakers about her recent exposition about cell phone towers, her experiences climbing all 46, 4000+ ft, Adirondack Mountains, and much more.   Hosted by Lucas Suero and Marley Maidment