Five high school students from Loara High School in Anaheim have virtually teamed up to host a podcast that has become a go-to resource for many teens who are struggling with topics ranging from mental health to school and family.
As reported by the New York Times this week, “Teenage Therapy” has become not only a breakout hit but a lifeline for many teens who may be struggling during the pandemic. Making its debut in September 2018, the show features five high school seniors – Gael Aitor, 17; Mark Hugo, 16; Thomas Pham, 16; Kayla Suarez, 17; and Isaac Hurtado, 17 – who record the podcast once a week from their homes. 
Aitor, who got the idea for the podcast after listening to a similar show for couples, told Wired, “I thought, what if there was a podcast with teenagers literally talking about their problems and what’s going on in their lives? I would want to hear that.”
“I’m curious as to how others are living,” he said, “what they’re going through, what issues they have, what they’ve done, what they haven’t done.”
Even though all five hosts will be seniors this upcoming school year, they still have plans to continue the podcast for the next few years, eventually passing it along to another group of teens to continue what they’ve started.
Aitor explained that also they’d like to grow their brand to help more teens. “They have expanded to YouTube, and are in the process of securing a studio space in Los Angeles to film more video content, “ the New York Times reported.
Here are some additional stories we’ve been following this week:
- During a special board meeting on Tuesday night, a majority of the OC Board of Education voted to sue Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s public health officer over California’s reopening plans for schools. County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares issued a statement in response, reminding the community that locally elected school boards and superintendents will continue to approve and implement their own plans based on the guidance of state and local public health agencies.
- Following a protest, the Newport Mesa Unified School District Board of Education voted to reverse and repeal their plan for block-learning curriculum.
- With the 2020-21 school year about to begin, many families are grappling with the question “Should I send my child back to school” when state and local health officials declare it is safe to return to on-campus learning.
- The Voice of OC reports that many are unaware of the roles and responsibilities of the OC Board of Education.
- The Orange County Health Care Agency this week announced a new advertising and outreach campaign to drive home the importance of “Face, Hands and Feet” — as in, wear a face covering, wash hands frequently, and stay 6 feet apart.
- While the state continues to restrict large gatherings, Capistrano Unified School District seniors returned to campus on Friday, July 24, to celebrate their graduation with special drive-thru events.
- A class of 2020 Beckman High School graduate recently won a new car as part of Tustin Toyota’s “Drive for Perfect Attendance Program” for maintaining perfect daily attendance during all four years of high school.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.