“Welcome to Season 2 of the Nest.” 

      Four hosts, an exciting guest every week, and a number of editors and producers who work day in and day out on Doral Academy’s student-run podcast, The Firebird Nest. What began as a small student project in 2019, has now grown into a podcast with over 30 episodes. The Nest has become a way for Doral students to be a voice for other students, featuring a range of topics from human trafficking to college prep.

Speaking Their Mind

      The Nest started with Doral Alumni, Cesar Sanchez, and his passion for telling other people’s stories. Each episode, which ranged from 20-35 minutes, featured a guest from our community and highlighted their unique life story. This year, the Nest has expanded its topics from not just people but important discussions. A personal favorite of mine is Season 2 Episode 2, Into the Teenage Mind, an episode focused on the “taboo topic of teenagers’ mental health.” In a school of 4,000+ students, it can be easy to feel drowned out by your peers. For host Gabriela Suarez, the podcast is an opportunity to speak on behalf of the Doral community. If there is one message that Gabriela wants the audience to take away from each episode it is that “there is always someone there ready to listen and speak up for you even when it feels like you’re just another student [or] teacher.”

Behind The Scenes

      As a part of the Firebird Digital team, I can say from personal experience that the work that goes into editing and producing the podcast is no easy feat. Most episodes are recorded a week before their release date so editors have limited time to work while still balancing their academic course load. For Paula Mendez, a junior, “the worst feeling is probably when [she] gets something the morning of or the night before” and she wants it to “sound perfect” which means long hours of cleaning up background noise, filling up awkward silences, and picking up on host or guest speaking patterns.

      The COVID-19 pandemic has made recording the podcast a lot harder, given the safety guidelines that need to be met. Some guests work long hours during the day while others cannot physically be in the recording due to schedule conflicts. Despite it all, the Nest producers have come up with innovative ways to keep the show running, including Zoom calls and phone voice recordings.

Feel For The Future 

      Earlier this year, the Nest introduced a new segment, “Feel for the Future.” These special episodes are meant to highlight professionals in our community to expose students to the world of careers that awaits them after high school or college. Looking to specialize in TV Production? Check out Season 2, Episode 5 which features TV Production teachers, Mr. Viruet and Ms. Diaz. Episode 2 of “Feel for the Future” even featured Doral Academy Alumna Veronica Perron, a Miami Heat Videographer. Host Dayne Jurjo strives to “give listeners a little eye-opener of what they can do with their desired career path or even introduce them to a new field of work.” Feel For The Future episodes not only serve as inspiration but also a reality check as to what the professional world is truly like. Be on the lookout for more career-oriented episodes coming soon.

What’s To Come 

      For anyone who is interested in working on podcasts, whether it be editing, hosting, or producing, it is never too early to start. Think about topics you would want to bring to light or creative elements that would add a nice touch to the Nest’s weekly episodes. As the only non-senior on the host team, Maria Macias has the honor of building the Nest brand far beyond the 2020-2021 school year. For her remaining years, she hopes to “include more topics that will attract different audiences and get [the podcast] on student’s radars.” Maria has the “awesome opportunity to help The Nest’s newcomers” and is eager to welcome fresh voices and perspectives for the next school year. 

      Be sure to check out all episodes of the Firebird Nest on Spotify, iTunes, and Soundcloud.