![“Swimming has impacted my life because I am just in my happy place when I am at the pool. I could just be sitting on the wall, and I would be having fun hanging out with my teammates. I loved swimming [alongside] my school friends and meeting new people in different grades in high school swim. My favorite part of swimming is the feeling I get while diving in at a meet because my adrenaline is pumping, and all I focus on is how fast I can go to beat the person next to me. One thing that I have been working to achieve is my 100-meter individual medley. It is a few days after I get home from Florida, so I will not get to practice beforehand, which is scary. I have worked hard this season to train for this race.” — Ava Sticht, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image2-6-900x630.jpg)
“Swimming has impacted my life because I am just in my happy place when I am at the pool. I could just be sitting on the wall, and I would be having fun hanging out with my teammates. I loved swimming [alongside] my school friends and meeting new people in different grades in high school swim. My favorite part of swimming is the feeling I get while diving in at a meet because my adrenaline is pumping, and all I focus on is how fast I can go to beat the person next to me. One thing that I have been working to achieve is my 100-meter individual medley. It is a few days after I get home from Florida, so I will not get to practice beforehand, which is scary. I have worked hard this season to train for this race.” — Ava Sticht, 9
Ava Sticht
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Humans of WestBennett Ford -
Humans of WestParker Kim -
Humans of WestMelissa Ricciardini -
Humans of WestLiva Antrobus -
Humans of WestEmma Overmann -
Humans of WestHaley Puglisi -
![“I currently teach Honors Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology, [and] it’s my 21st year. I feel they are different from the other science classes because biology is the study of life and what makes us, so it’s pretty interesting. At school, there might be kids [who] go to the deep end on the first day, and [they] might fall to the bottom, but they stick with it. [I also coach] girls’ cross country, and [I’ve] learned a lot from [that] along with teaching. [I might get] somebody [who] can't run a lap around the track on day one, but they stick with it for four years, [so] they get faster and they get better. Teaching wise, I’m sure I’ve had impacts on kids [as they] grow into students and athletes. So [despite] all the drama at the end of the day, it’s about the kids, and [when they] come back and appreciate what [I’ve] done for them, it's a good feather in [my] cap.” -Charles Cutelli, Science](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3981-1200x798.jpg)
Humans of WestCharles Cutelli -
![”[Tuba is] the path that I've led down. I remember I wanted to play french horn, but I wasn't really very good at it, so I switched to something with a bigger mouthpiece, and that helped me. I think [the music I listen to has] kept me pretty open as a person, and open to a lot of new perspectives. [Through] listening to a lot of different kinds of music, I can understand a lot of people. Music also calms me down a lot, so I think it's helped me be a better person. My faith has been driven a lot by music. I like listening to gospels as well. Like in church, we sing a lot of songs and listen to a lot of music, and I think it really connects with me. My original dream, when I grew up, was to have my own band, perform gigs and write music, and that still is my dream. I've been doing a lot of college searching, and I'm trying to find which major I'm going to choose. My ultimate goal is to have a band and play. I hope to one day make some gospel music to glorify God. That'd be really cool.” - Zac Card, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/jackcard-1200x800.jpg)
Humans of WestZac Card -
![“I started playing [basketball] because I saw that my brothers were playing, and I found it fun; I started playing at age eight and have continued to play ever since. [Something] I enjoy [is] the back-and-forth competitiveness of basketball that I don't get when I play softball, as well as our team bonding activities because I think it helps with the chemistry throughout our group and in the real world. I also enjoy winning and all of the competitive aspects. [Basketball] has brought great memories and people into my life, and I enjoy spending most of my time with them and cherish the memories my team has created. Getting to go out and play with my very best friends every day is just the best gift a girl can get. A big thing that motivates me is how much time and effort my coaches put in. I just want to work hard because they work hard, while also making my parents proud at the same time. Sometimes, it’s not an easy task being able to balance school and athletics, but with the right mindset and focusing on the goals that I have set for myself, it’s achievable. In high-pressure situations, I just go back to playing my own game [and the basics within the game] rather than focusing on everything around me because I trust my training and my practice. [My advice for upcoming players] is to keep going and continue to practice. Nobody is perfect, there is always going to be something to improve or get better at. There is always going to be someone out there who is doing better than you, and if you want to be the best, you have to keep going and push yourself to be better, but most importantly just have fun in what you’re doing.” - Siena Snyder, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DSC0571-Enhanced-NR-Ella-McNeal-1-1-1200x798.jpg)
Humans of WestSiena Snyder -
![“Debate makes you more open-minded because you’re forced to think from different [perspectives] and write both sides of every case. I think being open-minded is very important because if you don’t have an open mind, then you can’t progress as a person. I’ve grown [and] become more able to see more aspects of issues and the meanings behind them. Since I started, my speaking skills have [gotten] way better, and it feels like I can talk to people more comfortably. I love feeling like [my voice] has the power to convey my ideas to people and I make them think differently about [opposing viewpoints].” Sahana Solai, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/unnamed-1.png)
Humans of WestSahana Solai
About the Contributor
Ava Prsha, CJ1 Writer
Pronouns: she/her
I am a freshman and this is my first year on staff. When I am not at school I am usually playing soccer, hanging out with friends and family or practicing field hockey.