With homecoming week on the horizon, anticipation is rising within the student body. Making plans with friends and deciding on outfits, students are preparing for the long-awaited week. Behind the scenes, the Student Council (LOCO) has been working to prepare for the dance. Take a look at the Homecoming week timeline:
Countdown to Homecoming
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NewsBeta Chi Pi returns: reviving a science community at West -
![Smiling in a sea of Longhorns, Fox 2 reporter Ty Hawkins joins junior Darren Young during the morning Oct. 3 pep rally. The last time West was featured in this segment was 2011. “[I hope people see this and think] if you come to [Parkway] West, you will have the time of your life because there are so many fun activities to do that make it feel like you belong here. I was surprised so many people attended, but it was a lot of fun,” Young said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Edited2-1200x798.jpg)
NewsRise and shine -
![West High seniors and families listen as a representative of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, Teresa Steinkamp, leads a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) workshop. This session, held in the library, provided guidance on financial aid, scholarships and student loan options. “This event is very beneficial for any seniors who are applying to or considering applying to colleges after high school [because] the cost of college is on the rise for seniors and parents,” college and career counselor Chris Lorenz said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_4478-1200x778.jpg)
NewsFrom questions to clarity: Seniors and parents attend FAFSA session -
![Senior Kamori Berry walks across the field during halftime at the Homecoming football game on Sept. 12. During the pep assembly earlier that day, she was pronounced Homecoming Queen. “I thought it was nice that the crowd [started] cheering right away. I know [my friends] were really excited for me, and my family was happy because typically non-white people don't win,” Berry said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC7046-Enhanced-NR-1200x798.jpg)
NewsGolden traditions -
NewsPowder Puff, Powder Play -
NewsVoices of the herd -
NewsCrowned: A look at your 2025 Prom King and Queen -
![Pitching the ball on Apr. 14, senior Henry Wild and his team play against Belleville East. Wild was named scholar athlete of the year by St. Louis Post-Dispatch after maintaining a high cumulative GPA and staying involved with athletics for all of high school. “It’s an amazing honor. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to represent my school [and] what [it] stands for,” Wild said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/unnamed-6-1200x714.jpg)
NewsDriven to excel -
![The Glory of Missouri award recipients stand with their certificates after finding out which virtue they were chosen to represent. When discovering their virtues, some recipients were met with contented confirmation, while others, complete surprise. “I was not at all surprised to get Truth. I discussed that with some of the other people who were getting the awards as well, and that came up as something I might get. Being in journalism, [Fellowship of Christian Athletes and] Speech and Debate, there's a culture of really caring about truth as a principle that I've tried to contribute to as well. I was very glad; [Truth] was a great one to get,” senior Will Gonsior said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Group-Glory-of-Missouri.jpg)
NewsBringing glory to Missouri -
NewsBack with a splash -
![Focused on providing exceptional service, sophomore Darsh Mahapatra carefully cleans the door of a customer’s car. Mahapatra has always believed his customers deserve nothing less than the best. “[If] they’re trusting us with their car and our service, then I am convinced that they deserve our 100 percent effort and beyond,” Mahapatra said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_0018-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcaseDriven to succeed -
![Sophomore Aleix Pi de Cabanyes Navarro (left) finishes up a soccer game while junior Ava Muench (right) warms up for cross country practice. The two came to Parkway West High School as exchange students for the 2025-2026 school year. “The goal for the [exchange] program is to provide opportunities for both Parkway students and our international exchange students to learn about other cultures, build connections and become confident, capable, curious and caring — Parkway’s Four C’s — in the process,” Exchange Program Lead Lauren Farrelly said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Feature-Photo-1200x800.png)
ShowcaseWorlds apart -
![Leaning on the podium, superintendent Melissa Schneider speaks to Parkway journalism students during a press conference. Schneider joined Parkway in July after working in the Thompson School District in Colorado. “My plan [to bond with students] is to get things on my calendar as much as possible. For example, being in [classes] is very special to me. I am trying to be opportunistic [meeting] kids [and] being in [the school] buildings. I have all the sports schedules and the fine arts schedules on my calendar, so that when I'm available, I can get to them,” Schneider said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_5425-1200x943.jpeg)
ShowcaseThe welfare of the people: does Missouri’s cell phone policy value the state’s motto? -
![Gazing across the stage, sophomore Alexis Monteleone performs in the school theater. The Monteleone family’s band “Monte and the Machine” has been releasing music since 2012, but Alexis started her own solo career in 2024 with the release of her first single, Crying Skies. “My whole family is very musical, [and I especially] love writing [songs with them],” Monteleone said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC7463-1200x798.jpg)
ShowcaseHarmonies, hurdles and high school -
![Leaping through the air, senior Tyler Watts celebrates his first goal of the season, which put the Longhorns up 1-0 against the Lafayette Lancers. Watts decided to play soccer for West for his last year of high school and secured a spot on the varsity roster. “[Playing soccer for West] is something I had always dreamed of, but hadn’t really had a good opportunity to do until now. It’s [really] fun being out [on the field], and I’m glad I decided to join the team. It’s just all about having fun with the boys and enjoying what time we have left together,” Watts said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC_1951-1200x855.jpg)
ShowcaseBoys soccer season starts strong -
ShowcaseConnecting for change: Making West High a better place -
![Junior Fiona Dye lifts weights in Strength and Conditioning. Now that the Trump administration has instituted policies such as AI deregulation, tariffs and university funding freezes, women may have to work twice as hard to get half as far. "[Trump] wants America to be more divided; he wants to inspire hatred in people,” feminist club member and junior Clara Lazarini said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Flag.png)
ShowcaseIs the future female? -
![As the Trump administration cracks down on immigration, it scapegoats many immigrants for the United States’ plights, precipitating a possible genocide. Sophomore Annabella Whiteley moved from the United Kingdom when she was eight. “It’s pretty scary because I’m on a visa. When my visa expires next year, I’m not sure what’s going to happen, especially with [immigration] policies up in the air, so it is a concern for my family,” Whiteley said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_0077-7copy.jpg)
ShowcaseE pluribus unum? -
![Shifting global trade, President Donald Trump’s tariffs are raising concerns about economic stability for the U.S. and other countries alike. “[The tariffs are] going to pose a distinct challenge to the U.S. economy and a challenge to the global economy on the whole because it's going to greatly upset who trades with who and where resources and products are going to come from,” social studies teacher Melvin Trotier said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MDB_3456-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcaseThe cost of ‘America First’ -
![Red, white and blue, the American flag holds the values of our democracy. The fight that we once endured has returned, as student journalists and senior correspondents across the country are losing their voices due to government control. “[Are] the White House and [the] government limiting free speech [and] freedom of the press? Yes [they are],” chief communications officer of the Parkway School District and former journalist Elisa Tomich said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Untitled-design-14.jpg)
ShowcaseThe fight for the first: Protecting journalists across the country
About the Contributor
Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: she/her
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
What was your favorite childhood TV show? The Backyardigans, specifically the pirate episode
What is your favorite book? Recently, I really liked “We Were Liars”
What motivates you? I really want to be a good role model for my younger sister and show myself that I made it. My sister and I were both so worried about our futures and whether or not we could do well in school, that we put lots of pressure on ourselves. I want to prove to her that a little hard work can take you farther than you think and show myself that everything I have done and continue to do it worth it.