The Official Class of 2001 Podcast

As graduates in the Norwich Free Academy Class of 2001, Ian Cheney, Zack Lamothe, and Jim Wheeler were stunned to find themselves closer to 60 years old than they were to high school. They had the idea that before more time passes, they wanted to reconnect with members of their graduating class before old age deletes their fellow Wildcats’ memory banks. So obviously it was time to start a new podcast!

Each week, join Ian, Zack, and Jim as they interview a different member of the NFA Class of 2001 as they approach their 25th reunion. What do these guests remember about NFA? How do they describe how amazing the NFA experience was? Most importantly, what has everyone been up to these last 25 years?

LISTEN TO OUR LATEST EPISODE BELOW

Zack Lamothe
“What’s it like going to a school where your parents DIDN’T teach?” So begins Zack Lamothe’s recontextualization of the question he’d been asked a thousand times at the Norwich Free Academy. As listeners of this podcast know, our cohost’s parents were the universally beloved Mr. and Mrs. Lamothe, who taught math and English, respectively. (We hope Mrs. Lamothe approves of that sentence structure.) In this episode, we learn how this unusual circumstance affected Zack’s trajectory at the Norwich Free Academy.
We also learn what happened to Zack after high school. Like his legendary parents, he too became an educator. He’s also published five books, which is five times more than Ian and infinitely more than Jim. Meanwhile, as the author of BackyardRoadTrips.com, Zack had to withstand Ian’s trivia about Zack’s own website. Then, catching the two of them off guard, Jim surprised both history teachers with a “history-off” – trivia questions about early(ish) American history. Which cohost won the best out of five?
We’re sure you’ll agree Zack’s turn in the hot seat made for one of our best episodes. His name is Zack Lamothe, a host of Red & White @ Silver, and a member of the NFA Class of 2001.

MEET OUR HOSTS

Jim Wheeler

My name is Jim Wheeler and I'm a member of the NFA Class of 2001. After a brisk 5 years, I earned the coveted A.S. in General Studies from Three Rivers Community College. Unlike my colleagues, I've published zero books, but I have spent years as a professional musician and audio engineer, and have been fortunate enough to work as a technology manager at UConn for the last 11 years. I'd like to think Zack and Ian include me in podcasting because of my sharp wit and charming personality, but it's probably just the tech experience. I live in Franklin with my wife and son.

Zack Lamothe

Hi, my name is Zack Lamothe, and I'm a member of the NFA Class of 2001. After graduating from NFA, I enrolled at Boston University as an American Studies major. I am the author of five books, which, along with my website, Backyard Road Trips, all promote the benefits of meaningful travel on the local level. In addition to Red&White@Silver, I co-host the Backyard Road Trips podcast with Jim Wheeler. I live in Plymouth, MA, with my wife and three sons, and teach in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

Ian Cheney

My name is Ian Cheney, and I'm a member of the NFA Class of 2001. After barely graduating from NFA, I attended and eventually graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University, after which Waterford High School made the dubious decision to hire me as a social studies teacher. It's a job I've held for the last 20 years and, with the help of the teachers' union, I'll hold for another 20. I've published just four fewer books than Zack. I now live with my wife and two sons in Gales Ferry, CT.

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