by Randy Appell
How much did High School shape your life? High School Matters is a podcast dedicated to conversations I have with my former High School students where I set out to find out how High School mattered to them both then and now. What I uncover in these conversations is that the persona that these kids created in High School is not exactly what was beneath the surface. Follow on IG @HSMattersPodcast
Language
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Publishing Since
4/9/2021
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June 29, 2026
Host [Host Name] interviews student Kevin Nassimi about friendships, high school drama, and memorable moments, offering insights into growing up.
February 1, 2026
<p dir="ltr">In this powerful two-part episode of High School Matters, Randy Appell sits down with former student Mat Shurka for a conversation years in the making.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mat was a student in Randy's biology class in 2002. What Randy didn't know then was that Mat was carrying a secret shaped by trauma, fear, and survival. In high school, Mat was brutally beaten in an attack that would permanently alter the course of his life. The aftermath of that violence eventually led Mat to come out to his father as gay — and to a devastating response: his parents sent him to gay conversion therapy.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this raw and deeply emotional conversation, Mat shares his story in full detail for the first time on a podcast. He speaks about the assault, the silence that followed, the psychological damage of conversion therapy, and the long road toward reclaiming his identity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mat's story has since reached more than a million viewers on YouTube, helped spark national conversations, and contributed to thousands of pages of legislation aimed at banning conversion therapy. Today, Mat is channeling his experience into public service and is running for Congress in the 2026 election.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is not just a story about trauma. It's a story about resilience, truth, and what can happen when someone refuses to let their worst moment define their final chapter.</p>
January 25, 2026
<p dir="ltr">In this powerful two-part episode of High School Matters, Randy Appell sits down with former student Mat Shurka for a conversation years in the making.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mat was a student in Randy's biology class in 2002. What Randy didn't know then was that Mat was carrying a secret shaped by trauma, fear, and survival. In high school, Mat was brutally beaten in an attack that would permanently alter the course of his life. The aftermath of that violence eventually led Mat to come out to his father as gay — and to a devastating response: his parents sent him to gay conversion therapy.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this raw and deeply emotional conversation, Mat shares his story in full detail for the first time on a podcast. He speaks about the assault, the silence that followed, the psychological damage of conversion therapy, and the long road toward reclaiming his identity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mat's story has since reached more than a million viewers on YouTube, helped spark national conversations, and contributed to thousands of pages of legislation aimed at banning conversion therapy. Today, Mat is channeling his experience into public service and is running for Congress in the 2026 election.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is not just a story about trauma. It's a story about resilience, truth, and what can happen when someone refuses to let their worst moment define their final chapter.</p> <p> </p>
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Kevin Nassimi
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Jon Shatzkamer
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Dave Siegel
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Kenny Eisenstein
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How much did High School shape your life? High School Matters is a podcast dedicated to conversations I have with my former High School students where I set out to find out how High School mattered to them both then and now. What I uncover in these conversations is that the persona that these kids created in High School is not exactly what was beneath the surface.
Follow on IG @HSMattersPodcast
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