Guided by Teachers, Empowered by the US Community: Students Create The Late Start Show Podcast

9/24/2025

When student inspiration meets expert guidance from dedicated teachers, the results are impressive. With the support of our community through the Annual Fund, University School continues to recruit, develop, and retain top teachers who guide US boys as they discover and use their voices.

You may have already heard of The Late Start Show, a podcast which has quickly grown in popularity across the US community. During the 2024-25 school year, Charlie Martin ‘27 and Jack Nelson ‘27 set out to start a podcast all about US. Their idea was met with enthusiasm and guidance from faculty member Mr. Thomas Wickboldt, Technical Theater Director and Arts Department Chair. Together, the boys have produced nearly 40 episodes, releasing a new episode every Wednesday. The podcast features faculty, alumni, and students, exploring personal stories, US experiences, and life lessons.

Charlie and Jack first imagined the podcast as a way to give voice to the US community and share the wisdom of faculty, alumni, and peers. Charlie, who loves podcasts, and Jack, who wanted to showcase the people who make US unique, saw an opportunity to create something that would last beyond their years as students. Overcoming early challenges like mic issues and editing hurdles, they have refined their skills to produce polished episodes, reflecting their curiosity and commitment while leaning on the support of their classmate, Theo Walter ‘27, and the technical expertise of Mr. Wickboldt and other faculty members.

The students have grown into hosts, producers, and collaborators—learning to record and edit with professional equipment, schedule guests and craft thoughtful questions, conduct interviews, balance technical quality with authentic storytelling, promote episodes on social media, and collaborate with peers and faculty to keep the podcast student-driven while maintaining high standards.

“It’s inspiring to watch young people take ownership of something that started small and has grown into something successful, and fairly intense,” says Mr. Wickboldt. “Being able to create these spaces for students to take an idea and run with it—that’s why teachers, myself included, want to be here at US. From wondering about starting a podcast to producing a show that has followers and real impact, these boys have grown and accomplished so much.”

“Not just pitching this idea—but actually following through and doing it. That’s when you learn and you grow,” says Jack Nelson. “That’s where the teacher who says ‘yes’ comes in and gives you the chance to actually do it and figure it out. They are there to help you as you need it, but you are driving it.”

Charlie adds, “The amount I’ve learned from this podcast is immeasurable. The number of times I’ve heard something during these interviews and thought, ‘WOW, I’ve never thought about that’—it’s incredible. It’s made me more confident, creative, and thoughtful in how I approach ideas and conversations.”

The generosity of our Annual Fund community fuels the creativity of US boys, providing the opportunities and guidance for them to learn and grow. Because of you, boys like Charlie and Jack are able to act on a spark of inspiration, experience support and guidance from passionate mentors, and leave a lasting legacy through projects like The Late Start Show.

Thank you for helping University School teachers and the boys they lead dream big and achieve the incredible.

Click below to check out the podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5DP4KXN8WkmQBW5rJIZoDI

Amazon: https://www.amazon.it/The-Late-Start-Show/dp/B0DS6KJPWN

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-late-start-show/id1769964438

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