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

With five languages under her belt, junior Suraiya Saroars plan to become fluent in several languages is underway. Although she is also fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu and Arabic, Saroars first language, Bangla, is the most important to her to speak fluently. It is especially important to me to be able to speak my native language, so I can speak to all my relatives properly and not have to worry about them not understanding me, Saroar said.

Proud to be a polyglot

Anna Claywell, Staff Writer March 10, 2023

Walking through the halls, hundreds of conversations in English surround junior Suraiya Saroar, though her mind goes from language to language. As a friend catches up to her to chat, she replies with an...

Following a district announcement that Latin A and B will be removed from course registration at the middle school, teachers and students with ties to the language have been disappointed. However, some Latin students are taking strides to promote enrollment to rising freshmen. “Even if [the administration] is making these decisions based on numbers, there is a human element that should be considered. How does this affect other teachers? How does this affect families? How does it affect your financial bottom line? As Parkway moves towards a student choice schedule, we need to allow all possible options: including Latin,” Latin teacher Tom Herpel said.

The loss of a language

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief March 2, 2023

What causes a language to die? Is it when people stop speaking it? Reading it? Writing it? Historians have long regarded Latin as a dead language because it no longer has native speakers. However, they...

In Latin teacher Tom Herpel’s Latin 3 class, Herpel sets up a chariot race in his room. Junior Madi Michajliczenko won the first race in a series of six and was crowned with the laurel wreath of victory. “The race was weirdly stressful. The entire class was cheering for who they wanted to win and counting laps. At one point, everyone lost count, and I had to complete an extra lap to make sure I got the seven needed. When I finally crossed the finish line, Katie Henak, the person counting my laps, and I were excited because I won,” Michajliczenko said.

Latin teacher Tom Herpel shares the benefits of his course

Jordan Scales, Staff Writer April 11, 2022

With more than half of English words rooted in Latin, Latin teacher Tom Herpel is surprised that only 100 students enrolled in the 22-23 school year program. Herpel believes that students think Latin is...

Alumni Grant Aden and Emily Dickson take a photo with their former Latin teacher Tom Herpel to commemorate their engagement. The two have dated for six years and will be living together in Omaha, Neb. as of summer 2022. “What Im most excited about getting married is coming back to St. Louis at some point. I think as much as I [pretend] I dont like St. Louis, we definitely want to come back to raise our family,” Dickson said. “Im looking forward to that, and Grant wants to be a pediatrician. Hes just so good with kids. Im excited about that chapter of our lives.”

A pop quiz proposal

Madi Michajliczenko, Staff Writer February 14, 2022

For many students, the mention of the words “pop quiz” creates a feeling of panic. However, alumnus Grant Aden, class of 2017, and alumna Emily Dickson, class of 2018, have come to know a different...

Latin teacher Tom Herpel helps freshman Maaz Siddiqui understand the practice sentences in the Latin 1 textbook.

Latin teacher Tom Herpel brings his class to life with international travel opportunity

Drew Hayes, CJ1 Writer January 31, 2022

Attempting to bring the curriculum to life, Latin teacher Tom Herpel offers a 10-day trip to his students to travel to Italy over spring break. During the trip, students immerse themselves in the archeology...

Latin teacher Tom Herpel entertains students with a sword and a gladiator helmet. In class, Herpel focused on the learning process while making the class enjoyable for students and involving cultural experiences. “I’ll always remember the vocative tense, or command tense, because we learned it and vocab by doing yoga-like the game Twister,” Rutledge said.

Latin teacher Tom Herpel works to form meaningful connections with students and athletes

Olivia Zerega, Convergence Journalism Writer December 17, 2019

Whether it is in the classroom or on the soccer field, Latin teacher and varsity boys soccer coach Tom Herpel preaches perseverance and guides students to be the best versions of themselves. Herpel...

Translating a story from their textbook, freshmen and Latin II students Mary Hardy and Claire Folkins work together. The practice translations in the textbooks follow a story of the same characters throughout the four books. “I chose latin because both of my sisters took it and they both really enjoyed it. Also because they both said Herpel was the best teacher,” freshman and Latin I student Claire Folkins said. “Our class is really close and we all get along really well. We can joke around with each other but also get work done when it needs to get done.”

Latin program faces potential cuts

Claire Smout, Awards Coordinator March 13, 2019

Due to an enrollment drop in Latin in recent years, the future of the program is being threatened. If more students do not start taking Latin I and II, the number of sections of the class will only continue...

In a hands-on activity, freshmen Claire LeDuc and Claire Folkins write curse tablets in Latin 2 . After learning about how Romans used wax tablets to write curses on gravestones of people who wronged them, the class tried to replicate them. “It taught me more in depth about how people used to live back in Rome,” LeDuc said.

Students bring a dead language to life

Fatema Rehmani, Staff Writer February 26, 2019

Reading the works of classical authors like Cicero and translating, Latin students focus on bringing back Roman history. Labeled as “dead” and thought of as ancient or a language of the past, Latin...

Twelve tiles currently line Herpel’s ceiling, and six more are in progress. Herpel provides resources for students to carry out the detailed research in depicting the deity of their choosing. “I’ve always liked the myth surrounding Proserpina. Also, knowing that it would take an obscene amount of time for me, a serial procrastinator, to complete, I figured that Proserpina wasn’t one that a lot of other people would ask to do,” junior Natan Shpringman said.

Students blend art and Latin

Nell Jaskowiak, Opinions editor February 6, 2018

Along with a mural of the Roman forum on the wall, student-painted ceiling tiles join the collage of decorations hanging from Latin teacher Tom Herpel’s walls. The tiles that depict ancient Roman deities...

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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High
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