catchiNG up: Beyond the Classroom

This week, Peter reconnects with Andres Valcarcel — a UCF classmate he shared math classes with 13 years ago — for a conversation that spans career pivots, entrepreneurship, endurance sports, and the search for meaning outside of a screen. Andres started at UCF chasing an engineering degree and walked away with one in finance instead. A connection from high school led him into the live event ticke...

Peter reconnects with former student Mariana Ramirez, a UCF computer engineering and game design grad heading into a full-time role with Lockheed Martin on the Orion program — the capsule that will carry astronauts back to the moon and, eventually, to Mars under NASA's Artemis missions. Mariana traces her path from a high school Game, Model & Simulation class to a NASA internship, and shares w...

This week on catchiNG Up , Peter sits down with William Woods — trading card store owner, political organizer, DSA Orlando chapter member, miniature painter, former YouTuber, and a self-described "very autistic" person who once walked a leash-trained Nile monitor around a Georgia high school. To say William has had a non-traditional path is an understatement. The conversation kicks off e...

In this episode of catchiNG up , Peter reconnects with Mason Vilsaint, a former Timber Creek student who's traded a military police badge for a pilot's wings. Mason served three and a half years as an Army MP after enlisting just days after high school graduation, and is now a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University working toward becoming a commercial pilot. Mason opens up about t...

What do you do when you're 15, back in a city you left behind, and every friend group has already formed without you? For Natalie Fuentes, the answer was a classroom — a room with the music, anatomy posters, and a teacher who never minded company at lunch. In this episode of catchiNG Up, I reconnect with Natalie, a former anatomy student from the Class of 2019 who's now finishing her psych...

Season 2 kicks off with a family reunion. Peter sits down with his oldest brother, Victor Ng, a realtor, Air Force veteran, and self-described jack of all trades. Victor shares what it was like growing up in the Dominican Republic, where the school system put students together from first grade all the way through graduation, and how a disruptive but brilliant friend shaped some of his most memorab...

This one is different. For Episode 10, there's no guest — just me. And I want to tell you something I don't think I've ever said out loud in this format: I never planned on becoming a teacher. I graduated from UCF in 2013 with a degree in Molecular and Microbiology. I had a plan. Med school, a clear path forward. And then the self-doubt crept in, the scores weren't where I needed t...

On this episode of catchiNG Up , Peter sits down with someone who knows him better than anyone — his wife, Julia Porcher. A plan compliance consultant by trade and a self-described "lifelong partner" to Peter's "lifelong learner," Julia opens up about the path she thought she'd take (diplomat, world traveler, Model UN devotee) versus the one she actually walked. They ta...

This week, Peter reconnects with Brianna Jacob, a former anatomy student turned work-from-home nurse living in El Paso, Texas. What started as a student-teacher relationship has grown into a story about bold choices, personal reinvention, and learning to find yourself far from everything familiar. Brianna opens up about the realities of bedside nursing — including the trauma, the camaraderie, and...

Peter reconnects with Isabella Romero — UCF pre-med junior and dermatology medical assistant — who walked into the field at 17 with no certification and applied to every office in Orlando until someone said yes. In this episode, Isabella opens up about the high school moment she'll never forget, why she thinks making connections beats memorizing every time, and what burning out hard enough to...

Caden Redmond graduated from Timber Creek in 2022 and hasn't slowed down since. From winning a national championship at the NAIA level to recovering from a full ACL tear — with a double meniscus tear and partial fracture to go with it — Caden has had to fight for every yard, on and off the field. Now interning with the Orlando Pirates and building his brand on social media, he's chasing a...

In this episode, Peter reconnects with Connor Green, UCF friend, newly married husband, and middle school history and speech & debate teacher. They talk about the post-wedding exhale, what it's like watching students go from shy sixth graders to SGA presidents, and how a handful of unforgettable high school teachers set Connor on the path he's on today. They also get into the state of...

This week's episode hits close to home — literally. I'm catching up with my younger brother Matthew Ng and his partner Ann Schlotzhauer, both assistant professors of psychological science at Missouri S&T. We dig into what high school actually shaped us, what we'd tell our past selves, the psychology of how we define growth, and why there's no such thing as finishing your work....

In this episode, Peter catches up with Peyton Stanley — a former student who skipped 8th grade, started college at 16, and had her first semester derailed by a car accident that totaled her car and landed her in physical therapy. Rather than stay at a school that didn't feel right, she made a bold call: transfer mid-year to Gainesville, sign a lease sight-unseen off Facebook Marketplace, and s...

Join The catchiNG up Podcast as host, Peter Ng, reconnects with Carter Benson, a former student turned fellow traveler on the path of personal growth. Listen in for real stories about education, mentorship, resilience, and finding purpose after school. Whether you’re an educator, former student, or just love authentic conversations, this episode reminds you why catching up matters.

Join The catchiNG up Podcast as host, Peter Ng, reconnects with Isabella Maddox, a former student turned fellow traveler on the path of personal growth. Listen in for real stories about education, mentorship, resilience, and finding purpose after school. Whether you’re an educator, former student, or love authentic conversations, this episode reminds you why catching up matters. If you want to be...

In catchiNG Up: Beyond the Classroom, Peter Ng revisits the stories and experiences that live far past graduation day. Each episode reunites him with former students, coworkers, and friends to talk about the people they were, the lives they’re living now, and the lessons learned along the way. This trailer sets the tone for a podcast filled with authenticity, connection, and real conversations tha...