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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

Surrounded by teammates, junior Katie Byergo is coached by Susan Anderson during a team huddle between sets. Anderson told the team that their energy was lacking, and the team needed to start getting excited about every point. "Cheering on my teammates is something I love to do. Celebrating their success over mine- it's my team over myself," Byergo said.

Beyond the net

Maura Lottes, CJ1 Writer November 14, 2024

Jumping to the height of 10 feet and 3 inches, junior Katie Byergo hits the ball into the court, hoping to add to her near 800 career kills in high school volleyball. In third grade, Byergo was seen...

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.

The long run

Sage Kelly, Staff Writer November 6, 2024

On Oct. 10, as the bustling crowd in the football stadium applauded, junior TJ Polack took his place on stage during halftime to deliver his solo. The applause died down as the 2024 marching band show...

Junior Sravya Guda dances at Clayton High School to showcase her debut performance: the arangetram. The performance was the culmination of years of effort and preparation from Guda “This was my first time performing with a live orchestra. Usually, in St. Louis, a lot of students don't perform with a live orchestra for everyday events. If you're in India, it's a norm that you perform with a live orchestra, but it's harder to find here,” Guda said.

Blending worlds together

Will Gonsior, Opinion/A&E Editor October 10, 2024

  “Ascending the stage” is a term that invokes the image of someone realizing their potential before an enraptured audience. This is the Tamil meaning of the word arangetram, the first solo...

Sophomore Isaiah Meese smiles after his Eagle Scout Ceremony. Meese has participated in the scouting program since first grade, learning new aspects of life and growing a community of a second family. “I almost didn’t do [boy scouting], but I'm glad I eventually did start doing it. I regret that I wasn't [working towards Eagle Scout during COVID]. It might not always seem like the most rewarding thing, but if you put your time into it, there's a good chance you'll get quite a lot out of it: friends, new activities and hobbies, or just more experience,” Meese said.

The eagle’s flight

Aminah Hilaly, Staff Writer October 4, 2024

Surrounded by adult and young troop leaders, sophomore Isaiah Meese took to the stage on Sept. 15 to receive the coveted, sparkling silver badge of honor. The event marked Meese’s achievement of the...

Junior Justin Lutz arranges his collection of basketball sports cards. Lutz started his first hand at entrepreneurship with an online store on eBay, dealing and trading in the sports card market. “I was already collecting sports cards [before], so I knew a lot of these players and I understood the market. I ventured into other sports, but I really stayed with the ones that I knew the most, [like] basketball. It’s really important to focus on what you know because it's so much easier than starting completely from scratch in a market that you don't understand. Find something that you're interested in," Lutz said.

Getting down to business

Risa Cidoni, Editor-in-Chief September 26, 2024

For most high school students, starting their own business remains a hope for the distant future. For junior Justin Lutz, however, entrepreneurship is a part of his immediate reality. From online start-up...

This year, West High welcomes seven new teachers from various backgrounds. Each teacher represents a valuable addition to the school staff.

Fresh faces: Welcoming new teachers to West

Yein Ahn, News Editor September 17, 2024

A new school year is underway: freshmen are adjusting to the exciting world of high school, sophomores have returned to the familiar routine, juniors are ready to be upperclassmen and seniors are counting...

Standing in front of the American Sign Language program’s mural, junior Brooke Hoenecke signs with freshman Darren Young. Hoenecke began cadet teaching for ASL this year alongside working towards earning her seal of biliteracy. “I was in ASL class when I received the email [that I qualified for the seal]. I was jumping up and down with my teacher and the rest of the class. One of the reasons why I took cadet teaching this year was so that I could prepare for the Seal of Biliteracy and be immersed in ASL,” Hoenecke said.

Fluent in silence

Samir Shaik, Editor-in-Chief May 29, 2024

On May 15 at the 56th annual Honors Ceremony, junior Brooke Hoenecke walked across the stage after marking a landmark achievement for the school: becoming West’s first student to earn the Seal of Biliteracy...

With a keen eye for detail, senior Natalie Lashly writes her signature onto the senior hand wall. After some encouragement from her friends, Lashly applied to make the hand wall with her Lorax-inspired design. "I thought the [bright] colors would be fun. Our quote on the wall is 'Let us grow,’ based on the 'Let it grow' song [from the movie]. [I was hoping that the design would] make the cafeteria feel more exciting," Lashly said.

Let us grow

Esta Kamau, Features/HOW Editor May 18, 2024

Taking a step into the seniors’ next chapter in life, the class of 2024 winds down after four long and eventful years of high school, reminiscing their memories at graduation. One long-standing, memorable...

Walking onto the field, freshman Erastus Adewusi wears a pink jersey in remembrance of cancer awareness month. With the number seven on his jersey, Adewusi reflects on his life in Nigeria before moving to America. “I [used to wake up] at 5:30 a.m. and school would end at 5 p.m. [versus] now,” Adewusi said.

Kickin’ it

Lia Emry, Staff Writer May 14, 2024

In seventh grade, freshman Erastus Adewusi and his family stepped off a plane into America after living in Nigeria for 11 years. His mother landed a job in St. Louis as a contract nurse.  After picking...

As seniors complete their final assignments, tests and work of the school year, they reflect on their time in Convergence Journalism.

Seniors signing off

Emily Early I began Convergence Journalism 1 as a freshman on a Zoom call. It feels like a lifetime ago. Sitting next to my mom in my dining room, I remember feeling so scared and so small in such a...

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