“If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?”
“I would just say: be the best person that you can be. If you see somebody who is sitting by themselves, try to involve them. Just be friends with everybody.”
“What experience in life has taught you this lesson?”
“Well, I’m deaf and because of that I have learned that life is just so much better being with people and being friends with everyone.”
“Do you ever perceive a barrier between hearing and deaf people?”
“Sometimes when hearing people don’t understand, they can be a little distant or put out. Hearing and deaf culture are two different things and you have to make the best of what you have.”
“What is unique about deaf culture that hearing people wouldn’t know about?”
“When deaf people get together in a group and sign, it’s so much more emotional, it’s almost like acting.”
“What are your plans for the future?”
“I want to go to college and major in education. I want to work for a masters degree in deaf education.”
“What inspired you to pursue a career in deaf education?”
“When I was young I’d always play school and I’d be the teacher and my dolls would be the students. Its really just something i’ve always enjoyed.
“What are your currently doing to get real world experience?”
“I work at the YMCA.”
“What are the difficult and easy parts of your job?”
“The first time I met them we had to learn to work with each other, I often had to write notes down from things like our phone conversations. As time goes on we teach other how to communicate, I teach them signs and it works out pretty well
“What roles does your job entail?”
“I work in the day care center, watching little kids, while their parents are at the YMCA working out or doing other activities.
“Have kids ever commented on you being deaf?”
“Yeah, sometimes kids will see a ‘weird thing’ hanging off of my ear and be curious to what it is. It’s just my implant but they don’t understand that right away. But we explained it to them that I am deaf and can’t hear and they would get really excited and say, ‘ooh cool!’”
![“[I think being a teacher comes] from a place of experience, where we all enjoyed high school. It had a meaningful impact on us, which was [the case] for me. I had a lot of good mentors in high school, and seeing the opportunity, the impact that they could make, I think [that was] what inspired me. [It] definitely goes back to one teacher in particular [that] I had in eighth grade, he was a huge role model for me, and somebody who I was so appreciative of what he did for me. I figured if I could do even a fraction of what he did I feel like I would be very fulfilled [in] myself, and so there's just that aspect of wanting to do something meaningful every day.” - Kaleb Schumer, English](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9428-1200x800.jpeg)
![Looking out into the audience, senior Jack Mullen solos “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra at the annual winter choir concert on Dec. 10. Mullen volunteered to sing a solo to aid the transition between choir groups on stage. “I chose that song because I really like the crooner genre when it comes to holiday music. [That song] had all the element[s] of Michael bublé, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Also, it's a simple melody, so I did vocal gymnastics when I could and made it my own,” Mullen said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/jackedited-1200x800.jpg)
![“Hitting that ball hard is just pure satisfaction. I’m on the varsity tennis team, and it’s funny because I actually got pressured into joining, but we actually [had] a really good season. I’ve been playing for three years now. My favorite part is definitely going to other schools and meeting other girls. Tennis is really fun and it's a good stress reliever, but something that [stresses me out] is definitely tests [at school]. When things [start to] stress me out, I just tell myself that [I] can get there because everyone will move on and [will] get there [too].” Alisha Yin, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/alishayin-copy-1200x800.jpg)
![Under the hoop, senior Chloe Kallaos and the cheer team line up before they begin their cheer routine on Feb. 10. The seniors celebrated by wearing t-shirts that each underclassmen made for them. “My shirt was made by one of my teammates, [sophomore] Elizabeth Knott. It’s a tradition for the underclassmen to make t-shirts for the seniors to wear on their senior night. In my sophomore year, I made one for Madi Nuernberger and Sami Milholland,” Kallaos said. “My favorite part was seeing my fellow seniors fly when some of them don't normally get the chance to fly. It was fun to see my friends try new skills,” Kallaos said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image_20240217_231546_661-1.jpeg)
![Holding his two smiling daughters in his arms, Principal John McCabe celebrates earning his doctorate degree. He attended Maryville University for two years and reached his goal of achieving a Doctor of Education: Educational Leadership degree after months upon months of hard work and long nights. “I'm not going to lie, I'm glad I have another night of my life back when I'm not at school till very late,” McCabe said. “I can spend more time with my family and with my friends [who] are here at [West]. I'm really happy about that.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/mccabefeature.png)
