One of newspaper’s projects our staff was most excited to bring back this year after a one-year hiatus was our podcast, The Haystack. Ameerah and Hunaina Hiriji were our ambitious founders and co-hosts back in 2021, then Chase Kim(12) independently took up the task the following year, and now in the 24-25 school year, Christie Kilaghbian(12) and I resume The Wrangler’s podcast. Having to learn a new form of media by ourselves before the start of the year was definitely a struggle, but also a gratifying experience. For students interested in possibly joining the podcast staff, here’s a behind the scenes in what it takes to manage and host a podcast.
Starting with the technology and software, we use the Maono Monocaster Equipment Bundle(courtesy of Ben, Mrs. Shay’s son). It includes two mics and a soundboard. Getting hang of the controls on the soundboard was definitely tricky, but with ample resources online(especially Youtube), we understood the functions of the buttons and cords on the equipment pretty quickly. We found that it is easiest to record on Apple’s Garageband on our MacBooks by connecting the mics through a USB Adapter. As for editing, it is also done on Apple’s Garageband. Surprisingly, the editing process is very simple; it consists of mostly cutting and timing the recordings appropriately. When we record, it’s usually in the early mornings of school days in Mrs. Shay’s pod or the room of whichever staff we have as a guest.
We do create a script for every episode, outlining topics we will touch up on, though we prefer interviews or conversations with guests unscripted. Christie and I like to draft scripts based on school activity or holidays and include a segment recognizing our school’s impressive sports and programs near the end. It’s also become a sort of necessity in The Haystack to include a “needle in the haystack;” a challenge for listeners to guess the answer to the riddle for a prize(this year, the prizes are from Grumpy’s Donuts!) In regards to inviting guests onto the podcast, we try to contact them weeks in advance and give a heads-up on the questions or topics we will touch up on. It is essential to be patient and professional throughout this process.
The Haystack is generally uploaded on Spotify at the end of every month. Following every upload, we also come up with ideas to promote our podcast on social media and encourage more engagement. In fact, the whole staff gets involved; prize donuts, social media posts, and the segment on the jumbotron at the front of the stairs in the quad – this is all the work of our hardworking staff. Faith Alam(12), a student at YLHS notes, “I noticed the ad at the top of the stairs during break; I didn’t know our school had a podcast!
Despite the many challenges in producing and hosting a podcast, this experience has given me space to express leadership and creative expression. Much like life I will face outside of high school, it has taught me to deal with setbacks and keep going towards the goal. I strongly recommend joining The Wrangler’s podcast staff and continuing The Wrangler’s history!
