Mr. Longhorn Recap
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![Eyes glued to his sheet music, senior Andrew Gillies accompanies the Jazz Band as the pianist. During the annual Winter Jazz Concert, Gillies was chosen to improvise a solo during the song, “T.J. Boogie.” ¨I love concerts [because of] how the audience reacts, and just the stage lights [shining on me],¨ Gillies said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_3774-1200x801.jpg)
MultimediaFrom practice to performance -
MultimediaAthletes of West: Junior Leyton Usry -
MultimediaCollege Bound Ep. 1: Senior Siena Snyder, University of Michigan -
MultimediaBehind the lens -
MultimediaRallying together: A day of school spirit -
MultimediaBest of Homecoming spirit week 2024 -
MultimediaSpreading paw-sitivity -
MultimediaThe Secret Life of an Athlete: Carson House -
MultimediaPathfinder Debates: Immigration -
MultimediaSenior Insights -
![Within the U.S., the busiest shopping period of the year is Cyber Week, the time from Thanksgiving through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, shoppers spent $13.3 billion on Cyber Monday, which is a 7.3% year-over-year increase from 2023. “When I was younger, I would always be out with my mom getting Christmas gifts or just shopping in general. Now, as she has gotten older, I've noticed [that almost] every day, I'll open the front door and there's three packages that my mom has ordered. Part of that is she just doesn't always have the time to go to a store for 30 minutes to an hour, but the other part is when she gets bored, she has easy access to [shopping],” junior Grace Garetson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC_0249.JPG-1200x801.jpg)
ShowcaseSeason of giving, season of getting -
![Complex global supply chains supply the goods for everyday luxuries, such as the coffee at West High’s Blue Brew. Low tariffs enabled much of the prosperity of modern history. “Higher tariffs lead to higher costs. A tariff is a tax on an imported good, and someone has to pay for that tax, and typically that [will] end up impacting consumers,” economics teacher Rachel Money said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Flag-1.png)
ShowcaseSpread the wealth -
ShowcaseAnd the winner is… -
![Junior TJ Polack plays his saxophone solo at halftime for the 2024 marching band show, ‘Coloring Book.’ This year, Polack was one of two soloists in the marching band. “[Polack] is very hard on himself. [His saxophone solo] sounds amazing [and] everyone [cheers] for him; [still], somehow, he thinks it’s a bad performance and he's down. What he does is not easy. It takes a lot of confidence as a person [and] a lot of musical skill to be expressive, and he's doing an amazing job,” drum major and senior Dominic Perez said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/462488499_2973926416100522_5057718068659607183_n-1200x925.jpg)
ShowcaseThe long run -
![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)
ShowcaseHaunting highlights -
![Senior Sally Peters stands in the history hallway, contemplating her choices in the 2024 United States and Missouri elections on Nov. 5. As a member of Diplomacy Club, Peters has discussed key candidates and issues in contemporary American politics. “[As students], we're starting to become adults. We're realizing how much the policies that are enforced and the laws that make it through the House and Senate are starting to affect us. [Opportunities such as] AP [U.S.Government] and Diplomacy Club [make elections feel] a lot more real,” Diplomacy Club vice president and senior Nidhisha Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Flag-1-1.png)
ShowcaseActivity across ages: Generational differences in political engagement -
ShowcaseLet’s talk politics -
ShowcaseFall favorites: Essentials for the perfect season -
ShowcaseKickoff to high school season -
ShowcaseThe two Americas -
VideosWho won the Pathfinder Bachelorette??? -
VideosPathfinder Bachelorette: Valentine’s Day Edition EP. 3 -
VideosPathfinder Bachelorette: Valentine’s Day Edition EP. 2 -
VideosPathfinder Bachelorette: Valentine's Day Edition EP. 1 -
VideosThe "if" and "what"s of the Feminist Club -
VideosWhat would you name your child? -
VideosVideo: Senior Reflections -
VideosWho was your first high school crush? -
VideosWho would you like to thank today? -
VideosWhich part of the building will you never forget?
About the Contributors
Jacob Cupps, Editor-in-Chief
Grade: 12
Future / College Plans? Music Schools (which means being broke).
Swag level (1-10 Scale)? Kyla Hatton.
Fun Fact: I got a dumb haircut about a week ago.
Future / College Plans? Music Schools (which means being broke).
Swag level (1-10 Scale)? Kyla Hatton.
Fun Fact: I got a dumb haircut about a week ago.
Charlie Huff, Staff Newscaster
Grade: 12
Extracurriculars: Social Justice League, Improv, Theatre Dept. Officer
What do you like about The Pathfinder? How it connects everyone in the West community so well to cool stories and events.
How would you describe yourself? A thinker
Favorite Quote: "If you aren't getting many opportunities, start creating them."
Where do you want to go to college? Ringling College of Art and Design
Extracurriculars: Social Justice League, Improv, Theatre Dept. Officer
What do you like about The Pathfinder? How it connects everyone in the West community so well to cool stories and events.
How would you describe yourself? A thinker
Favorite Quote: "If you aren't getting many opportunities, start creating them."
Where do you want to go to college? Ringling College of Art and Design