![The prosecution team in the fifth hour Crime and Law mock trial plans for a cross-examination against a surprise witness during a two-minute recess. Senior Akshaya Mulakala, junior Jaxon Smith, senior Ryan Whorton and junior Parker Cummins gathered to come up with questions, hoping to discredit the witness and convince the jury that the defendant was guilty of second-degree murder. “I wanted to build a case by looking at [the] facts. [So,] it was cool to look at the details and build a case from that,” Whorton said. “The defendant [was] found guilty of manslaughter, but got a 10-year [sentence] which I still consider a success.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_0125-900x600.jpg)
The prosecution team in the fifth hour Crime and Law mock trial plans for a cross-examination against a surprise witness during a two-minute recess. Senior Akshaya Mulakala, junior Jaxon Smith, senior Ryan Whorton and junior Parker Cummins gathered to come up with questions, hoping to discredit the witness and convince the jury that the defendant was guilty of second-degree murder. “I wanted to build a case by looking at [the] facts. [So,] it was cool to look at the details and build a case from that,” Whorton said. “The defendant [was] found guilty of manslaughter, but got a 10-year [sentence] which I still consider a success.”
Photo of the Week – April 15
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![Covering second base, junior Ethan Brookshire attempts to tag out the runner on May 7 against Rockwood Summit. Following a successful doubleheader on April 18, Brookshire said he felt a spark throughout the team that kept them motivated. “It’s a very competitive schedule and team. We all work well together and push [each other] to become the best versions of ourselves we can be. It’s [a] really fast [game], so cooperation is important.” Brookshire said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_1170-2-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - May 9 -
![Rising with his trombone in hand, sophomore Andrew Phung gets recognized at the end-of-year spring band concert. Phung achieved a rating of two on a scale of one to five–with one being the highest–based on his performance at the District Solo and Ensemble Festival on March 1. “It’s humbling to show up for everybody around you and be part of something bigger. [The achievement] shows [my] commitment and growth as we get better throughout the years. I felt accomplished,” Phung said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_0081-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - May 2 -
![Post-game, senior Winston Gao attempts to run away from junior Agi Kukudala. On April 24, the varsity boys tennis team won their final game of the season against Oakville with a score 9-0. “[Kukudala] is a great teammate on varsity this year. [This team] is the best shot we have to go to state this year, so we're excited for that,” Gao said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DSC3287-1200x798.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - April 25 -
![Clearing a hurdle, junior Haddley Righter competes in the 300-meter hurdles at the Northwest Invitational. Righter joined track her sophomore year and has since grown a passion for the sport. “The most challenging thing with the 300 hurdles is the mental ability to balance endurance, speed and get[ing] over the hurdles themselves. Practicing this event multiple times a week [and] focusing on different parts of this race helps me overcome the challenges this event brings,” Righter said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DSC_1195-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - April 18 -
![Mid-pitch, senior Henry Wild takes the mound against Lindbergh on April 8. Although the team has gotten a 2-6 start, Wild hopes for success this season. “I believe we play one of the hardest schedules, so I hope we can turn it around. We’re a really young team, so for a lot of guys, it's their first time playing varsity. We're all getting used to stepping up in our spots, [but] I'm super excited for this team this year. I love all [of] my teammates,” Wild said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/henrywildpotwedited-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - April 11 -
![During Jazz Poetry Night on April 1, sophomore Yusra Khan performs her Program Oral Interpretation (POI) piece from Speech and Debate. For her POI piece, Khan spliced together different authors, poems and news articles into one cohesive story depicting Islamophobia in America. “This was my first time performing in front of a diverse crowd of Muslims and non-Muslims with my peers [and] teachers watching. I was surprised [with] the positive reaction I got afterwards; so many people [said] it resonated well. My biggest takeaway is to always represent and stand up for what you value and not care about the judgment of other people,” Khan said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/yusrapotwedited-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - April 4 -
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - March 14 -
![Putting in the work, junior Jannes Pöttker focuses on strengthening his back with TRX bands during Strength and Conditioning class. The class has helped many students like Pöttker enhance their athletic performance outside of school. “Right now I'm doing track and field, [and] I wanted to do sports during the school day and not just after. [Strength and Conditioning] is always [a] nice time with all the guys and I mean, you really get stronger,” Pöttker said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8650edited-1-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - March 7 -
![Building the base, junior Zaid Aujaimy creates a zen garden in Ceramics on Feb. 25. Aujaimy learned about making plants and rocks out of clay and incorporated those into his garden. “The most significant lesson I learned in Ceramics was to be patient [and] gentle and [to] think about unique ways to approach things and use my resources. I enjoy [Ceramics] class because I can express my creativity. It's not like other classes where there's a specific way to do something. I can [go] about it however I want and make good art my own way,” Aujaimy said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/DSC1285-1200x799.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - February 28 -
![Locked in on the roll, freshman Angel Olvera Galan watches the die land on the table during a Dungeons and Dragons Club meeting on Feb. 21 in the library. Olvera Galan joined the club halfway through first semester and has participated in the club since. “If we all can get along together to do such a thing as playing a game together, then it proves the community at West is so friendly to each other,” Olvera Galan said. “Dungeons and Dragons helps me feel connected because I can find other people who have similar interests to mine and we can all connect [about the game].”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/0092edited-1200x800.jpg)
Photo of the WeekPhoto of the Week - February 21 -
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’ -
ShowcaseCrowned: 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)
ShowcaseDriven to excel -
![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 -
![Freezing in their position, the Addams Family cast hits the “rigor mortis” pose after cast member and senior Jack Mullen, in character as Gomez Addams, calls out the stiff death move. For the past four months, the combined company of cast members, orchestra pit, crew and directors all worked to create the familial chemistry of the show. “I’m excited for [the audience] to see the numbers, the music, the scenes, but I also just love all the technical aspects of it. The whole spectacle, the costumes, makeup and the people that put in the work backstage in order to make the show successful on stage. I’m excited for people to see and appreciate that,” Mullen said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DSC0116-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcaseRigor mortis! -
![A board in the Parkway West counseling department displays pennants of selective universities. With a wide range of students interested in attending, it’s important that these schools have clear priorities when deciding who to admit. “[Washington University] had the major that I wanted, psychology, philosophy, neuroscience. That's a holistic study of the brain, and [WashU is] the only college in the world that offers that. That's the main reason I wanted to go; I got into that program,” senior Dima Layth said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Flag-1.png)
ShowcaseThrough the looking-glass -
ShowcaseA legacy of leadership and excellence in sports
About the Contributor
Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: she/her
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
What was your favorite childhood TV show? My favorite childhood TV show was Liv and Maddie!
What is your favorite book? Currently… my favorite book is ‘A Good Girls Guide to Murder,’ however, my all time favorite book is probably ‘Tell Me Three Things’
What motivates you? I am motivated by a lot of things: my family and friends, music, and literature.