At 12 p.m., sophomore Mary Galkowski rushed into the Publications room with her iPhone 4S asking Yearbook Adviser Debra Klevens if she could charge her phone. Galkowski’s plan was to update her operating system before sixth hour ended.
Apple released iOS 7 on Sept. 18. iOS 7 is the seventh version of the IOS mobile operating system and the foundation of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It is now the world’s most advanced mobile OS.
The goal of iOS 7 was to simplify the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with a new control center, a new notification center, multitasking, new camera features, a new way to view your photos, Airdrop (which is only for iPhope 5), a new Safari design, i-Tunes radio, an improved Siri and App store, a “find my iPhone” option and iOS car.
“I haven’t experienced the newest update yet because I am actually waiting until all of the apps get updated to be compatible with it so they don’t disable on my phone. I bought my iPad when it first came out and have gotten all the updates and now I have the iPad 3, but I love it. To me it is just like a mini computer I use it just about anywhere,” Business teacher Laura Glenn said, “The one thing I don’t like is that Apple and Adobe Flash don’t work together, and there are no USB ports on the iPad.”
Other complaints of the new OS include its design and speed. Natalie Ransin had high hopes for Apple’s “new big thing” but felt differently after she updated it.
“I was really eager to get it, but I really don’t like it that much. To me it’s childish looking and really different. It is also really slow and I have experienced a lot of glitches, like my alarm didn’t go off this morning,” Ransin said.
Love it or hate it, the new operating system is a fresh coat of paint on a very familiar operating system. Ultimately, iOS 7 is very different from its predecessors.
“I absolutely love iOS 7, it’s great. My favorite new feature would have to be the new control center because it is super convenient, you can access it from any app and it has like everything on it,” senior Jason Erwin said.
![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. "[The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jeff] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![Principal John McCabe announces that Jeffrey Chazen has won Teacher of the Year. Chazen was discussing freedom of speech with his AP Government class when the door opened and administrators rushed in. “[I was] extremely happy and humbled, but mostly shock[ed]. I've been here longer than any other teacher, so I know most of the people on the list of Teachers of the Year, and they are amazing teachers themselves,” Chazen said. “It's just nice to be on the list with them, including [social studies teacher Kristen] Collins, who is the only other social studies teacher who has won Teacher of the Year. It was nice to bring something back to the social studies department.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC_0021-1-2-1200x801.jpg)
![Striking a pose following their group dance, the 2024 Mr. Longhorn contestants welcome their audience to the show. Throughout the night, the nine competitors participated in an occupational section, skits for the talent portion and a fashion attire show before finalists were interviewed. “It's a fun time getting to hang out with my friends and doing [our] acts. I think I'm most excited for my performance with [seniors Bart Connors, Gavin Hamlin and Colin Hughes]. I like that I get to dance a little bit. I don't think I'm very good, but I'm gonna try my best to put on a show,” contestant and senior Henry Wild said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_9759-1200x798.jpg)
![Kicking off dress rehearsal, Mr. Longhorn contestant and senior Carson Hughes goes over the group routine alongside other competitors. With just two days of practice, all participants learned the entirety of their introductory dance, chose an occupation to embody and crafted skits for the show. “The best part of this [whole thing] was learning the dance and just practicing with the guys. We [have to] try not to laugh the whole time, but we're having a lot of fun,” Hughes said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_5112-1-e1732164157549-1200x812.jpg)
![Blending together a concoction for a science experiment, science teacher Joel Anderson scares his students by bringing excitement and thrill into his classroom for his annual Halloween show. It took about six weeks for Anderson to set up his classroom for the show. “It’s pure terror. I came up with this idea a couple decades ago to do something fun for Halloween. So I pretend to be this mad scientist [that creates] a Frankenstein-like creature [with the class], learning a little bit of science along the way and [then ending] with a laser show. It’s just for fun; entertainment value,” Anderson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0021.JPG_-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing with girls cross country team mascot Pump the pumpkin, senior Sydney Etchason laughs with her teammates. Before the team’s senior night, Etchason undertook an odyssey to recover the pumpkin, which had been stolen by boys cross country. “We went through practice, and then a little birdie told me that it was in [senior] Emmett [Vernon's] car. I [offered Vernon] $50 to give us our pumpkin back, and we got Pump back,” Etchason said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0002-1-1200x800.jpg)
