Teen With Gift of Gab Uses Podcast to Chart New Territory

Anya Bohil aims to provide safe space for high schoolers to discuss experiences, challenges

Anya Bohil gives the impression she’d be a regular guest on Super Soul Sundays. Yet the Hockaday freshman was but a toddler during the Oprah show’s heyday. 

Though starring in her Into Uncharted Waters podcast, Anya maintains she’s no expert in life lessons. 

“I’m only a high schooler, so I’m still learning a lot,” she said. “I myself am trying to navigate my first year in high school.”

Insisting her gift of gab was not the catalyst to her budding new project, she described how the idea for the series sprouted from a love of podcasts and a desire to provide a safe space where she and her peers could share experiences. 

“I’ve been a big fan of podcasts for a while, but I realized that most feature adult viewpoints. I wanted a platform where students could openly discuss their high school experiences and challenges from a personal perspective,” she said.

Anya presented her idea to Laura Laywell, assistant director of the Institute for Social Impact at The Hockaday School, and sought advice from upper school health teacher, Melanie Jenkins, who provided Anya with resources on the topics she wanted to cover on the podcast. The high schooler spent months spilling through the materials to prepare for her debut.

Though the podcast is focused on high schoolers, Anya asserted she’s not averse to adult input. 

“I’ve found that starting the conversation asking adult guests to share a memorable high school experience has led to advice that is quite different from the, ‘When I was your age, I had to walk uphill in the snow to get to school’ trope,” she said. 

The teen discovered that when adults examined their own journeys without focusing on generational gaps, they spoke honestly and openly and, rather than launching into a parental lecture, revealed what they wish they’d known, or what they’d have done differently.

The young podcaster said she’s focused on keeping things fun and engaging by tying music, movies, and television shows into group discussions. The podcast’s first episode examined the topics of friendship and loyalty in connection with characters in the Outer Banks television series, she said.

But the freshman conceded not all topics covered are light-hearted.

The second episode included guests Hanna Fobare and Tara Draper, who shared their mental health struggles and journeys of battling addiction, discussing their paths to rebuilding their lives through HEF Recovery (hefrecovery.com).

“My goal is to connect high schoolers, not just in Dallas, but all across America, to explore topics including relationships and dating violence, friendship fallouts, substance abuse, anxiety, and stress,” Anya said. “I want to make sure guests remember that this is their story, and I am here to facilitate telling it at whatever pace they feel comfortable with. There is no pressure to perform on this show.”

Anya attributes the growing buzz surrounding the podcast to the support and advice of friends, including Avery Park, the show’s marketing liaison, who engages viewers and connects them to the podcast through social media posts and behind-the-scenes content. 

“Honestly, without her, I don’t think the podcast would be here — she’s the one that took a budding idea and helped launch and promote it,” Anya said. “My friends have all been so supportive and give their input on topics; I love hearing advice from other people, and I really take their opinions into consideration.”

Anya and Avery continue to solicit the advice of friends, teachers, coaches, and counselors to discuss ways of forming healthy habits, identifying red flags, confronting challenges, and maintaining balance with their audience.

“For me the goal is to connect students from various regions, backgrounds, and demographics to share our mutual struggles and triumphs by engaging in honest conversations about real life issues,” Anya said.