The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

Twisting yarn, senior Carlee Priem enjoys her favorite hobby outside. Founding Yarniacs in her sophomore year has helped her to share her hobby with a larger community. “Yarniacs is one of my proudest achievements just because I think it’s a really good way for someone to get into crochet who may not know a lot about it,” Priem said.

Not just a knitwit

Lauren Holcomb November 3, 2023

Needles flying and conversation flowing, members of Yarniacs congregate in special education teacher Alexandra Fehlig’s classroom biweekly to share an hour of knitting, crocheting and macramé together....

Art teacher Kat Briggs poses for a picture in her art room. Briggs grew up loving art, and now is fulfilling her passion. “My own experiences that I had outside the classroom with my own art teacher made me realize that there are skills that I can use outside of the classroom,” Briggs said. “Encouraging the students and also showing interest in the things that they do, whether its extracurriculars or their own hobbies and interests that they enjoy doing in their free time, is something I like to [do to] feel engaged with them. The classroom is a snapshot, its 90 minutes of just seeing somebody in one context, [but] everybody is so much more than that,” Briggs said.

Flashback Friday: Art teacher Kat Briggs

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer October 27, 2023

What school did you go to? I went to a small public school called Sleepy Eye Elementary School. How was your childhood homelife? I had three other siblings, [and] I was the oldest of four....

On Friday, a night full of celebration kicked off in a flood of green in honor of former 2023 graduate Jaydon Woodall. Athletics director Jeff Taggart took the night as a moment to reflect on Woodall and the impact he made. “The fact that we have that option to bring more awareness to [organ donation] and how we can save somebody elses life down the road, to the idea of being an organ donor like [Woodall] is worth everything. Coming together as a community says a lot about how much he means to us,” Taggart said.

The gift of a lifetime

Lia Emry, Staff Writer October 26, 2023

“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” This quote by Dr. Seuss has stuck with senior Eileen Meara as one of her favorite sayings. The 17-year-old was one of several...

Freshmen Cole Barton and Preston Priest make origami flowers during free time in their Drawing 1 class. Both gained an affinity for origami through the internet and further practiced this art under the guidance of West High Drawing 1 teacher Kat Briggs. “Their origami pieces are especially intricate. Both use multiple small pieces of paper that fold and interlock, enabling their sculptures to move and also simulate textures. They also use very precise folds, and I appreciate the careful craftsmanship that [goes] into their art,” Briggs said.

Origami artisans

Audrey Ghosh, Opinions Editor October 18, 2023

When a time of leisure arises in class, as students go on their phones or talk to friends or read a book, just one piece of paper and a sense of creativity can leave a student to casually experiment...

Accepting the golden football from principal Mr. John McCabe, senior Lacy Roberts becomes the Homecoming Queen at the Pep Assembly on Oct. 6. Roberts continued the tradition by being crowned and then smiled and waved to the crowd. Youre only a Longhorn once, [so] enjoy it, Roberts said.

Coronating the Court

Triya Gudipati, News Section Editor October 6, 2023

Posing in front of The Magic Kingdom with her family, junior Karry Nickel enjoys her 20th time at Disney World. As Disney passholders, the Nickels have embraced the tradition of going to Disney every Fourth of July. “There are no words [to describe] going to bed and knowing that the next morning, youre getting on a 5 a.m. flight to Orlando to go to Disney. It’s one of the most exciting feelings ever, and Ill never forget the memories,” Nickel said.

Devoted to Disney

Lia Emry, Staff Writer October 4, 2023

After stepping into the doors of the most magical place on Earth for a total of 10 times in under three years, junior Karry Nickel and her family view Walt Disney World as more than just a one-stop summer...

Design Arts and Digital Design teacher Kristi Ponder stands in a room surrounded by many paintings that she has done. The room is large with lots of windows.

Earth conscious canvases

Aliza Schroeder, CJ1 Writer August 23, 2023

Rather than using expensive and brand new canvases from craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby, Design Arts and Digital Design teacher Kristi Ponder uses a more sustainable option: thrifted canvases....

Social studies teacher Amy Thornhill writes her daily class agenda in front of the whiteboard. Thornhill teaches AP Human Geography, World History and Psychology and has witnessed difficulty for students to form an opinion recently in all of these classes. “Everyones opinion is valid. Everyones opinion is justified. But [when] you have so many opinions. Its hard for kids to figure out their [own]. Those are the things I try to articulate and get kids to understand,” Thornhill said.

Nurturing informed minds

Aliza Schroeder, CJ1 Writer June 2, 2023

Social studies teacher Amy Thornhill knows that current events play a major role in the topics she teaches in her classes. Thornhill constantly updates lesson plans to fit the news around the globe because...

Senior Henry Dittmar celebrates his 18th birthday in recovery from a drive-by shooting that left him seriously injured. During this birthday, Dittmar was still unable to walk from the effects of a bullet that ripped through his calf.  The most challenging part of this experience was being patient with everything, Dittmar said. Building that patience was definitely the best thing for me, [because] I am definitely not a very patient person. I learned a lot about myself during this experience.

Overcoming the unthinkable

Katie Wallace, Staff writer June 2, 2023

Aug. 9, 2022, 11:45 p.m., a siren sounds, and red and blue lights illuminate a car pulled over in a bank parking lot peppered with bullet holes. Minutes earlier, senior Henry Dittmar and his girlfriend...

Sophomore Maddy Tarter and her family greet sophomore Charles Leleu at the airport in front of a welcome to St. Louis sign that features the Gateway Arch. Tarter and her sister hold a sign with French and American flags that reads: Welcome to the USA Charles.

Coming to America (venant en Amérique)

Tyler Smith, CJ1 Writer June 1, 2023

Ever since sophomore Charles Leleu was born, all he has known has been his home in France. Now, he has to adjust to a whole new world in America.  Leleu began searching for a host family last year....

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