The Monarch Experience Podcast
by Mr. Ancona
The Monarch Experience is a light-hearted, yet reflective look at various education and pop culture topics hosted by an enthusiastic 8th grade English Teacher, Mr. Ancona. Each episode features a different group of students that take on topics in Education, analyze pop culture phenomenons, and teenage life. Whether you're a fellow educator looking for a podcast that focuses on amplifying student voice, a student looking for a podcast that mirrors your beliefs, or a fan of informative, often hilarious conversations, The Monarch Experience is can't miss.
Episodes
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99: Pressure, Performing, & Perfection w/ Powerlifting Legend Bob Merkh
In a very special episode, powerlifting legend, Bob Merkh, the only man to squat and bench over 1,100 lbs, joins Mr. Ancona to chat about lessons from powerlifting, responding to failure, how to set goals, advice for teens getting into the gym, how to find balance in any competitive aspect of…
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98: LIONS Award Winners 2026
Mr. Ancona chats with all 9 LIONS Award winners, Savannah, Alex, Kendall, Mahi, Brayden, Hunter, Dylan, Ryan, and Joseph to discuss what leadership means to them, how they embody leadership, and why they believe they were chosen. Also, Mr. Osborne joins the podcast to discuss the creation of the...
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97: Marvel Vs. DC
March Madness is officially over, but The Monarch Experience Podcast has a Marvel vs. DC bracket to determine who is the ultimate fan favorite DC or Marvel hero or villain. Join Teddy and Deakon in breaking down the Podcast Club's official bracket, share their winners and go over tough matchups…
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96: Using A.I. in Schools
Let's not avoid it- A.I. isn't going anywhere, so Aarav and Darsh return to The Monarch Experience Podcast to discuss practical ways and tips to use A.I. to help you study and learn while in middle school. From mock tests to A.I. generated study tools, we cover everything! Plus, a very special,...
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95: Battle of the Quads 2025- Quad J Wins (again)!
Quad J wins again and the streak officially begins! Kendall, Dylan, and Kudrat take you behind the scenes to discuss the process of making the winning dance, what goes into participating in all of the "day of" events, why next year's 7th graders should sign up to be a part of BOTQ next year, and…
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94: Your Brain Is More Overstimulated Than You Realize
Hours on YouTube videos, mindless scrolling, constant feelings of irritability, inability to focus on anything. These are just some of the typical experiences someone who is overstimulated goes through. Darsh and Aarav join the podcast to discuss the science behind how the modern person gets...
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93: Stranger Things Vol. 5 Review and Predictions
Volume 1 of Stranger Things 5 is out, and Vihan, Frido, and Eddie join Mr. Ancona to discuss all of their theories, predictions, favorite moments, and so much more. They identify major themes and easter eggs they noticed in volume 1, and make predictions for who they think is going to die in…
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92: Top 10 Male Athletes in 2025
Memorial was given a list of 100 male players from Soccer, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB and voted, creating who they believe are the top 10 male athletes from 2025. This list will shock you. Follow on Snapchat @The Monarch Experience Podcast
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91: Slang Through Each Decade
Recently get in trouble with the fuzz because of that drip you wore when out with your home skillet? Fear not! The Monarch Experience Podcast takes a deep dive into slang, and how it has evolved throughout the decades, as Millen, James, and Samved join the podcast to go over common slang used in...
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90: ASMR
Palak, Reet, and Emily join Mr. Ancona in discussing the phenomenon known as ASMR and where it began, how it works to create a soothing sensation in listeners, and we create ASMR sounds with various objects. See if you can guess what they are as you listen! Plus, we think of hilarious situations…
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89: 2025 Oscars Reaction ft. Emily
Movie extraordinaire, Emily D, joins the podcast to discuss all of the nominees, winners, snubs, and performances from this year's Oscars. Follow on Snap Chat @The Monarch Experience Podcast
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88: 2025 Grammy's Reactions
Music and pop culture extraordinaries', Ethan, Ben, and Mariam, join Mr. Ancona to react to the 2025 Grammy's, from the major category winners to who got snubbed, who made a splash in their performances, and how significant Kendrick Lamar's incredible night was. This plus so much more! Follow on...
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87: Super Bowl 59 Chiefs vs. Eagles Preview
Ibby, James, and David join the podcast to make their predictions about Super Bowl 59 between the Chiefs and The Eagles. We chat about the keys to the game, who will need to have a gigantic performance from each team to secure a victory, score predictions, MVP predictions, and more. Of course, we...
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86: Battle of the Quads 2024- 8J Wins!
A very special podcast as Daniel, our quad mascot and mastermind, along with BOTQ participants, Victoria and Valentina, join the podcast to reflect on Quad 8J's first ever BOTQ victory. They take you behind the scenes on what really went into planning and practicing for the dance, who was more...
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85: Percy Jackson Series Review
Ash and Rabaab join Mr. Ancona to review all things related to the Percy Jackson series. They rank their favorite books, discuss why the movies were not as good as the shows, and chat about the fanbase's less than accepting reaction to some casting decisions for the show.
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84: Emily Watched 273 Movies In Less Than a Year
In less than 1 full year, movie expect and all around awesome person, Emily D, has watched and taken notes on 273 movies in this past year. In this Oscar worthy episode, Mr. Ancona talks with Emily about what makes a good movie great, and Emily lists her favorite movies by genre. If you are…
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83: Adjusting to High School ft. Shaade, Isabella, Stephanie, and Sasha
Want to know what the biggest adjustments from middle school to high school are? Listen up! Sasha, Shaade, Isabella, and Stephanie are going to tell you the cold hard truth, and they aren't going to lie about some of the hardest adjustments both academically and socially. From how the teachers...
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82. What Ifs? ft. Aaron, Vihan, and Samved
What if Dinosaurs never went extinct? What if JFK wasn't assassinated? What if the Roman Empire never fell? What if Germany won WW2? In the last episode of the 2024 school year, the Podcast Club's Samved, Vihan, and Aaron join The Monarch Experience Podcast to discuss some fascinating historical...
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81: MLB 2024 Season Preview
The Monarch Experience Podcast's biggest tradition continues as former Memorial students Mason and Jeremy join the podcast, this time with their brothers, Finn and Xander, to discuss the upcoming Major League Baseball season. We talk Yankees and Mets expectations, concern about Cole's elbow, why...
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80: Time Traveling with Aaron D'Souza
Bet you didn't know we have a real life time traveler at MMMS? That's right, our very own Aaron D can time travel and he's taken all of your questions about the past and the future, and he answers them live, unrehearsed on this very special episode of The Monarch Experience Podcast. Who was the...
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79: Fly News with Liam and Shuaib
Fly merchandise, fly websites, fly news. It's everywhere! And the creators of this madness, Liam and Shuaib, join the podcast to discuss the origins, Mrs. Pagliaro's reaction, Fly News the website, and give us all the information we need to know to get informed about the tensions between the Ant...
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78: Super Bowl 58 Preview with Rafi, Gabriel, and Adi
It's the most magical time of the year- Super Bowl Sunday! And Rafi, Adi, and Gabriel join the podcast to discuss all things relating to this year's big game. From our favorite foods, commercials to breaking down all things relating the matchups within the game, we've got you covered. Can the...
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77: Strange Laws with Rafi, Radhika, and Harini
Don't let your donkey sleep in your bathtub. In this highly informative and illegally hilarious episode, Harini, Radhika, and Rafi join the podcast to discuss some of the most bizarre, often hilarious, and strangest laws we could find. Follow on SnapChat @The Monarch Experience Podcast Follow on...
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76: All Things Pizza
In this very delicious episode, John, Dom, and Shaade join Mr. Ancona to talk about all things related to pizza. Is pineapple on pizza a crime? Favorite toppings on pizza? Which pizza places are our favorite? Why people in the NY/NJ area shouldn't eat pizza chain restaurants like Dominos and…
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75: Taylor Swift
Join Leeza and Izabella as they talk everything Taylor Swift! We chat about the Eras tour, the movie, her relationship with Travis Kelce, as well as the sentiment that Swift fans really aren't football fans. Plus, they rank their favorite eras and favorite songs, albums, and so much more. Can't…
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74: What Makes a Great Teacher?
Who would know what makes a great teacher better than students? In this can't miss episode, two former Memorial students, Leeza and Abigail, joined by current Memorial 8th grader, Rafi, join Mr. Ancona in discussing and breaking down what makes a great teacher. They also discuss what makes an...
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73: Graduating High School ft. Marina, Chloe, and Angelina
It's the final episode of the year of the Monarch Experience Podcast, and what better way than to discuss graduation! Four years ago I had Marina Berger, Angelina Grine, and Chloe Lee on the podcast as they were getting set to graduate middle school, and now I have the pleasure of talking with…
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72: Asking an AI Chatbot Questions
Thomas and Abigail join the podcast to chat about the positive and negative aspects of AI and how they personally use AI. And we have plenty of fun asking SnapChat's AI plenty of random, funny, and deep questions, such as "What is your opinion of bald people?", "Are pigeons real?", "What are your...
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71: Life of a former ESL Student featuring Abdallah
Abdallah graduated Memorial in 2019 and he comes back on the podcast to discuss his experience coming to America from Egypt and not knowing the language or culture, what some of the biggest cultural barriers he had to overcome were, how his experience in ESL classes was difficult, what most...
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70: Start, Bench, Cut
In our first ever student hosted episode, The Monarch Experience's Head of Social Media, Paravi Jain leads Leora, Leeza, and Mr. Ancona through a series of trios to determine which we'd "start", "bench", and "cut". Lake, Ocean, or Pool, waffle fries, curly fries, or crinkle cut fries, mexican,...
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69: Dark Nursery Rhymes
Anvi and Veera, from The Dark Origins of Disney Movies, are back and this time, they join the podcast to talk about some disturbing actual meanings of the nursery rhymes you heard and loved as a child. From who the "Muffin Man" really was and how he'd use his muffins, to what "Ring Around The…
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68: 2023 MLB Season Preview
An ongoing Monarch Experience Podcast tradition continues, as Mason and Jeremy, joined by his brother, Xander, join the podcast to preview the upcoming 2023 season. We talk about the new ban against the shift and the pitch clock. Also, we chat in depth about our hopes, predictions, and…
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67: A Look Back At Everything from the 90's!
Titanic or Jurassic Park? N'Sync or Backstreet Boys? Grunge or Boy Bands? Power Rangers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Frosted tips vs. "The Rachel" haircut? The 90's were a wild decade and Rabaab and Palak join The Monarch Experience to chat with Mr. Ancona about everything about the 1990's,...
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66: The Batman Episode featuring Mr. Bucci and Rohan
For the first time ever, The Monarch Experience welcomes Memorial's very own Library Media Specialist, Mr. Bucci, as well as former Content Creator for the podcast, Rohan, to talk about our favorite Bruce Wayne iterations, who we think has the best Batman portrayal, our favorite Batman...
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65: Super Bowl 57 Preview (Eagles vs. Chiefs)
Super Bowl 57 is upon us and Simran, easily the most knowledgeable NFL fan at MMMS, joins the podcast to preview all of the incredible matchups for this year's Super Bowl. Simran chats about her favorite Super Bowl memories as a fan, what the keys to victory are for each team, we break down some…
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64: How To Care For Your Mental Health
Former Memorial student, Amanda Ricci, joins the podcast to talk about her blooming career as a Social Worker and her impact working for the nonprofit organization, Robbie's Hope. As an advocate for teens taking care of their mental health, she explains what steps one can take to help their…
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63: 100 Years Into the Future
As we ring in a new year, Leora and Abigail join The Monarch Experience Podcast to chat about what they envision the future will look like in 100 years. We discuss how technology will evolve and continue to be more advanced in the form of security, tech, and even transportation, try and imagine…
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62: Answering Life's Most Unimportant Questions
Life has plenty of complicated questions it throws your way, but in this episode, we tackle the most unimportant, and sometimes bizarre questions you can think of! Is pineapple on pizza good? Pizza or Chinese food? Do you pour your milk before or after putting the cereal in the bowl? What's…
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61: The World Cup 2022
The World Cup is here and there are some intriguing Group Stage Matchups. Join "Z", Vlad, and Alex as we discuss our picks from each group stage, who we think will be in the Finals, which fanbase is the craziest, and so much more! Follow on TikTok @monarchxp Follow on Twitter @themonarchxp Add on...
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60: Dark Origins of Disney Movies
Disney boasts to be the happiest place on earth, but the original stories used for classics such as Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and many others are not so happy. Join Anvi and Veera as we discuss the original stories Disney used to make their hit movies and how the originals...
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59: Would You Rather 2
You asked for it, you got it! A second installment of the most bizarre, hilarious, weird, and uncensored Would You Rather questions you could imagine! In this episode of nonstop laughter, Z, Claire, and Justin chat about the funniest would you rather scenarios, such as Would you rather have...
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58: Cobra Kai Season 5 Review
In one half of the 2022 Season Premiere, Mr. Ancona chats with former Memorial student, Rika, as we discuss all things Cobra Kai Season 5. Rika appeared on the Season 3 and Season 4 reviews of Cobra Kai, so she has some strong feelings about the show and this season is no different. We break down...
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57: The Hobbit
In the final episode of the 2021-2022 school year, Arina, Serena, and Nishi join Mr. Ancona to discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. They break down their favorite characters, discuss the character arcs and storylines developed within the book, identify what makes a hero sympathetic, and we make a...
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56: Our Favorite Fast Food
Everyone has their favorite fast food place and Quinn and Vincenzo are no different. We rank our favorite fast food fries, burgers, chicken sandwiches and more. Mr. Ancona explains why everyone at some point in their life should work in fast food or in the food industry in general. Also, things…
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55: Ben Solves Your Problems Part 2
Ben is back to solve your problems again! In part 2, Ben answers why humans are called humans, if pineapple on pizza should be a crime, if cereal is soup, and so many more ridiculous scenarios. Follow on Tik Tok @monarchxp Follow on Twitter @themonarchxp Add on Snap Chat @The Monarch Experience...
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54: Indian Culture, Family, and Traditions
Culture is all about the 3 F's.. Family, Food, and Fun. And in this very informative, light-hearted episode of The Monarch Experience, Tayyeba, Srilasya, and Anika join Mr. Ancona to talk about East Asian culture, specifically Indian culture. They share laughs about family quirks, expectations…
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53: 2022 Major League Baseball Season Preview
The lockout is over, spring is here, and so is the 2022 MLB season! And since baseball is a game of traditions, The Monarch Experience continues its own tradition of having Jeremy S and Mason A, two current MHS baseball players, come back to make their predictions for what will happen this…
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52: Ben Solves Your Problems Part 1
Listeners sent in problems for Ben to solve and on this first of two part episodes, Ben offers his solutions to some of the world's, and your own, most insane problems. From advice on how to make a good first impression, to why bananas are curved rather than straight, to whether or not Lightning...
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51: Bollywood
Bollywood is a larger industry than Hollywood, and Pakhi, Yash, and Akshat sit down with Mr. Ancona to talk about everything related to the industry and genre, from the impact of the musical soundtracks and dances, the societal and cultural commentary apparent throughout many movies, how…
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50: Content Creation- The Creative Process
50 episodes of student voice! In this very momentous episode, the podcast's content creators, Umar, Sriya, and Rohan, discuss what led them to take on the position, what their individual interview/audition was like, what makes them creative and where they draw inspiration from, and they reveal…
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About this show
The Monarch Experience is a light-hearted, yet reflective look at various education and pop culture topics hosted by an enthusiastic 8th grade English Teacher, Mr. Ancona. Each episode features a different group of students that take on topics in Education, analyze pop culture phenomenons, and teenage life. Whether you're a fellow educator looking for a podcast that focuses on amplifying student voice, a student looking for a podcast that mirrors your beliefs, or a fan of informative, often hilarious conversations, The Monarch Experience is can't miss.
Hosted by
Mr. Ancona
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