Cultural immersion in motion: inside the spectacle that is St. Louis’ annual Festival of Nations
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![Eyes glued to his sheet music, senior Andrew Gillies accompanies the Jazz Band as the pianist. During the annual Winter Jazz Concert, Gillies was chosen to improvise a solo during the song, “T.J. Boogie.” ¨I love concerts [because of] how the audience reacts, and just the stage lights [shining on me],¨ Gillies said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_3774-1200x801.jpg)
MultimediaFrom practice to performance -
MultimediaAthletes of West: Junior Leyton Usry -
MultimediaCollege Bound Ep. 1: Senior Siena Snyder, University of Michigan -
MultimediaBehind the lens -
MultimediaRallying together: A day of school spirit -
MultimediaBest of Homecoming spirit week 2024 -
MultimediaSpreading paw-sitivity -
MultimediaThe Secret Life of an Athlete: Carson House -
MultimediaPathfinder Debates: Immigration -
MultimediaSenior Insights -
![Within the U.S., the busiest shopping period of the year is Cyber Week, the time from Thanksgiving through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, shoppers spent $13.3 billion on Cyber Monday, which is a 7.3% year-over-year increase from 2023. “When I was younger, I would always be out with my mom getting Christmas gifts or just shopping in general. Now, as she has gotten older, I've noticed [that almost] every day, I'll open the front door and there's three packages that my mom has ordered. Part of that is she just doesn't always have the time to go to a store for 30 minutes to an hour, but the other part is when she gets bored, she has easy access to [shopping],” junior Grace Garetson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC_0249.JPG-1200x801.jpg)
ShowcaseSeason of giving, season of getting -
![Complex global supply chains supply the goods for everyday luxuries, such as the coffee at West High’s Blue Brew. Low tariffs enabled much of the prosperity of modern history. “Higher tariffs lead to higher costs. A tariff is a tax on an imported good, and someone has to pay for that tax, and typically that [will] end up impacting consumers,” economics teacher Rachel Money said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Flag-1.png)
ShowcaseSpread the wealth -
ShowcaseAnd the winner is… -
![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.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/462488499_2973926416100522_5057718068659607183_n-1200x925.jpg)
ShowcaseThe long run -
![Blending together a concoction for a science experiment, science teacher Joel Anderson scares his students by bringing excitement and thrill into his classroom for his annual Halloween show. It took about six weeks for Anderson to set up his classroom for the show. “It’s pure terror. I came up with this idea a couple decades ago to do something fun for Halloween. So I pretend to be this mad scientist [that creates] a Frankenstein-like creature [with the class], learning a little bit of science along the way and [then ending] with a laser show. It’s just for fun; entertainment value,” Anderson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0021.JPG_-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcaseHaunting highlights -
![Senior Sally Peters stands in the history hallway, contemplating her choices in the 2024 United States and Missouri elections on Nov. 5. As a member of Diplomacy Club, Peters has discussed key candidates and issues in contemporary American politics. “[As students], we're starting to become adults. We're realizing how much the policies that are enforced and the laws that make it through the House and Senate are starting to affect us. [Opportunities such as] AP [U.S.Government] and Diplomacy Club [make elections feel] a lot more real,” Diplomacy Club vice president and senior Nidhisha Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Flag-1-1.png)
ShowcaseActivity across ages: Generational differences in political engagement -
ShowcaseLet’s talk politics -
ShowcaseFall favorites: Essentials for the perfect season -
ShowcaseKickoff to high school season -
ShowcaseThe two Americas
About the Contributors
Samir Shaik, Multimedia Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: he/him
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
Who is your favorite musician? Ariana Grande.
What gets you up in the morning? The thought of new day and the opportunities that it could bring.
What's an unpopular opinion that you have? Owalas are the best kind of water bottles.
Cindy Phung, Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: they/she
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
Who is your favorite musician? Billie Eilish.
What gets you up in the morning? Besides a cup of coffee, I look forward to eating good food with friends and sleeping again.
What's an unpopular opinion that you have? AI will take over and Cutelli will be its right hand man.
Kat Briggs • Sep 12, 2023 at 4:24 pm
I especially liked how you promoted the international entrepreneurs and creatives that we can go and support locally. Great job packing a lot of features into a quick video!
Serena Liu • Sep 7, 2023 at 6:47 pm
I LOVE THIS
Tanvi • Sep 7, 2023 at 6:16 pm
This is so well made!
Blair Hopkins • Sep 7, 2023 at 2:45 pm
This is fantastic! So impressed with Cindy and Samir’s hard work. The video reflects the atmosphere of the festival – fun, engaging, enthusiastic. Thank you for letting me be part of it!
Elle Rotter • Sep 7, 2023 at 1:50 pm
This is such an amazing video, you guys! You have both made so much progress. I love getting to see you grow within the journalism world! Congrats on a job well done!
Debra Klevens • Sep 7, 2023 at 9:33 am
Samir and Cindy,
You knocked this one out of the ballpark. I am so impressed by your growth. Everything about this is fantastic. I love the new graphics you are using to introduce your sources. I see a future at Business Insider for you both. Keep telling the incredible stories. I am honored to have been your teacher and can’t wait to watch your journey.