![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)
On Sept. 16, seniors and their families gathered in the library for an informative workshop on the college financial aid process. The event was hosted by The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and designed to support students in dealing with college finances after graduation.
The presentation covered everything from how financial need is calculated to how schools determine aid packages. Attendees also received an in-depth look at the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form that opens Oct. 1 and is required by most colleges and universities to qualify for federal grants and loans.
Like many of her classmates, senior Stephanie Fussner is in the heat of making important decisions about her future after high school.
“In general, I feel like I’m behind, which you can’t really be behind as long as you’re working toward it. But, I was very nervous about [the financial aid process] and the workshop kind of helped,” Fussner said.
The event served as a resource for students and parents, who were potentially unfamiliar with the financial aid process. The speaker from the scholarship foundation, Teresa Steinkamp, discussed various loan options and shared information on how scholarships, grants and need-based aid can reduce the overall cost of college.
Fussner and her family were concerned about the importance of comparing college options and financial aid packages. Being able to have a group like The Scholarship Foundation come and explain this to both sides aided her in understanding the bigger picture of college finances.
“As a senior, I’m trying to figure out college-wise what’s best for me, [considering] the cost and the education value, and having [The Scholarship Foundation] as a continued resource was very helpful because we have their contact information,” Fussner said.
In addition, West High’s college and career counselor, Chris Lorenz, was present in the workshop, asking questions and helping guide the discussion. Lorenz often assists students with the college application and financial aid processes.
“I think events like this do help to highlight the need for students to start to engage more with the process of college applications, which is why we have events like that scheduled throughout the fall,” Lorenz said.
![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)
![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)
![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)
![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)
