Most teens are binging the latest Netflix shows, taking up new hobbies and calling their friends, but some are busy donning the cape of today’s superhero: the Essential Worker. Many students are still working through the pandemic, and they have diverse experiences running the restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses of St. Louis while still balancing school and their personal safety.
Senior Charlotte Zera works at Smoothie King between three and four days a week, and although she wants to work, she sees the risks. “The main challenge is having the constant fear that I am going to come in contact with a customer that has COVID-19. Even though we are taking precautions to limit the chance of employees getting coronavirus––wearing masks, only doing drive-thru, taking only cards and not cash, etc.–– it still is a fear. Any person that I hand their smoothie to could have the virus and give it to me and I could easily pass it along to my coworkers and family,” Zera said, “I am trying to make the best of the situation right now-– taking advantage of the time I get to be with my coworkers since it’s a nice change from only seeing my family all day.”
![Alongside club sponsors Andrea Horn and Tim Burkard, assistant principal Kate Piffel prompts a discussion at the first Black Student Union (BSU) meeting. She accepted suggestions for BSU from members like BSU Leader and junior Tanatswa Zirengani, who moved from Zimbabwe in 2021. “Moving here and transitioning into a new school [and] lifestyle, [BSU] became [a place] where I could be myself and talk about issues that I felt comfortable talking about back home. BSU [also] gave me the opportunity to venture into the post-high-school experience, telling me [some] things to expect,” Zirengani said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC_0120-1-1200x800.jpg)
![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. (Courtesy of Christina Block)](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/462488499_2973926416100522_5057718068659607183_n-1200x925.jpg)
![Sophomore Isaiah Meese smiles after his Eagle Scout Ceremony. Meese has participated in the scouting program since first grade, learning new aspects of life and growing a community of a second family. “I almost didn’t do [boy scouting], but I'm glad I eventually did start doing it. I regret that I wasn't [working towards Eagle Scout during COVID]. It might not always seem like the most rewarding thing, but if you put your time into it, there's a good chance you'll get quite a lot out of it: friends, new activities and hobbies, or just more experience,” Meese said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1004-1200x800.jpg)
![Junior Justin Lutz arranges his collection of basketball sports cards. Lutz started his first hand at entrepreneurship with an online store on eBay, dealing and trading in the sports card market. “I was already collecting sports cards [before], so I knew a lot of these players and I understood the market. I ventured into other sports, but I really stayed with the ones that I knew the most, [like] basketball. It’s really important to focus on what you know because it's so much easier than starting completely from scratch in a market that you don't understand. Find something that you're interested in," Lutz said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-2.png)
![Standing in front of the American Sign Language program’s mural, junior Brooke Hoenecke signs with freshman Darren Young. Hoenecke began cadet teaching for ASL this year alongside working towards earning her seal of biliteracy. “I was in ASL class when I received the email [that I qualified for the seal]. I was jumping up and down with my teacher and the rest of the class. One of the reasons why I took cadet teaching this year was so that I could prepare for the Seal of Biliteracy and be immersed in ASL,” Hoenecke said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hoenecke.jpeg)
![With a keen eye for detail, senior Natalie Lashly writes her signature onto the senior hand wall. After some encouragement from her friends, Lashly applied to make the hand wall with her Lorax-inspired design. "I thought the [bright] colors would be fun. Our quote on the wall is 'Let us grow,’ based on the 'Let it grow' song [from the movie]. [I was hoping that the design would] make the cafeteria feel more exciting," Lashly said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0099-1200x801.jpg)
Heather Watts • May 21, 2020 at 10:50 pm
Great photo essay. Way to bring together a variety of perspectives!
Julie Clark • May 18, 2020 at 3:35 pm
This is a fabulous article, Ashlyn! It was great hearing how all the young workers feel. I also love how you used the photos–it was an excellent bonus!
Laurel Gillespie • May 18, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Ashlyn, thank you for getting this perspective of young workers!
Kelly Johnson • May 18, 2020 at 8:58 am
Great article, Ashlyn!
Nancy Ramig • May 18, 2020 at 8:26 am
Great article – good use of photos to tell the story!! Love the cover art – draws in the reader and instantly makes the connection to the story.