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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

Always looking for a new adventure, Chemistry and 
Physics teacher Allison Privitt goes canyoning for the  first time. Canyoning involves navigating a 
mountain stream using a variety of techniques. “That’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done, it’s  the craziest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m doing it again 
this summer,” Privitt said.

Four down, three to go

Sabrina Urdaneta, Staff Writer June 1, 2022

Whether jumping off a plane, swimming with sharks or traveling around the world, Chemistry and Physics teacher Allison Privitt is always on a new adventure. Privitt believes teaching has become a chapter...

Sophomore Jade Senseney poses with her brother, sophomore Kayden Senseney and her mother, before attending the Missouri Botanical Gardens Japanese festival. Senseney’s mother wears a Yukata [a traditional summer kimono] as Senseney and her brother wear their Japanese school shirts. “One thing that brings me joy about my heritage and culture is going back to Japan and taking in how others’ lives are, how my grandparents live and understanding their way of life and what’s important to them,” Senseney said.

What’s on the table for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month?

Lia Emry, Staff Writer May 31, 2022

Soaking in the fresh air of a warm Japanese morning, sophomore Jade Senseney is one of the many students attending West who visits family across the globe. The month of May is a month of commemorating...

Freshman Jack Mullen sings “Man of Constant Sorrow” at his singer's choice performance.

Freshman Jack Mullen takes on a new role as a Muny Teen

Ava Bauman, CJ1 Writer May 30, 2022

Ten years ago, Jack Mullen started his journey as an actor. Today, as a freshman, he continues his career as a Muny Teen. Mullen started performing at the Muny six years ago, where he participated in...

Steering towards his goals, Greg Schade poses in front of his 1972, generation three Corvette. Schade was interested in this car model because of the engine power, body style and chrome bumpers. “When I first had the idea of doing a restoration and researching for it, I thought about getting a ‘67 Corvette, a C2 generation. But I don't like the way it looks as much. I like the C3s more, and they’re less expensive, so it was a no-brainer,” Schade said.

Fueling dreams into reality

Emma Herrmann and Tiffany Ung May 25, 2022

Growing up in St. Louis, science teacher Greg Schade went to car shows with his dad to admire the hot rods and varieties of cars. However, one car has always stood out to him — the Corvette. Schade’s...

Sophomore Rand Al-Hachami poses for a picture at school, donning her hijab and Zulfiqar sword necklace. Even though Islamophobia is very present, Al-Hachami says she has met a lot of positive reactions concerning her decision to start wearing hijab. “[Hijab symbolizes] positive character traits that Islam promotes, like dependability and honesty,” Al-Hachami said. “Wearing it has made me feel closer to my Muslim friends as well as to my religion in general.”

“I’m stronger than anything anybody could try to do to me”

Katie Wallace, Staff Writer May 23, 2022

Ramadan: a time of fasting, prayer and focusing on your faith. Ramadan is sophomore Rand Al-Hachami’s favorite time of the year and, this year, it is the time she decided to start wearing hijab.  Hijab...

Wearing a bright smile, custodian Sean Smith sits on a bench greeting students in the morning. Smith believed that if the first thing students see when they enter the school is someone saying good morning, it will make their day that much better. “Now, if you're walking up that walkway with an attitude, I want [you] to see a cheery face that says ‘hey, I'm glad to see you,’” Smith said.

More than a custodian

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief May 20, 2022

A loving husband. An affectionate grandpa. An attentive dad. A devout Christian. A friend to all staff and students. Like all the behind-the-scenes staff, Sean Smith is more than just a custodian. Smith...

At the Bangalore International Airport, senior Dyuti Peddada comes back from camp with her best friend. Peddada photographed moments that she could look back on to remember. “During camp, we couldn’t use our phones, so coming back from the camp and going to our dormitories, we were all excited. I took photos during the entire trip,” Peddada said.

Senior Dyuti Peddada’s experience at an Indian boarding school

Samari Sanders, Staff Writer May 18, 2022

With hopes of introducing her to her heritage, senior Dyuti Peddada’s father enrolled her in a boarding school in Bengaluru, India, at the age of 15. Peddada traveled 14,141 kilometers to Indus International...

English teacher Angela Frye interacts with students. Frye discussed how movies could inspire students' stories and related it to their current assignment in English 3 about categorizing types of people. “I always try to find ways to make school fun, and I want kids to enjoy my class,” Frye said.

English teacher Angela Frye receives a letter worth 70K

Sapir Zachary, CJ1 Writer May 17, 2022

English teacher Angela Frye expected to pay over 70K in student loan debt to the federal government. Since Feb. 15, Frye has been forgiven of her debt by the U.S. Department of Education and the federal...

Junior Cecilia “Sisi” Olmedilla takes the stage at the Poetry Out Loud competition. Olmedilla selected “I am Offering This Poem” by Jimmy Santiago Baca from the website and related it to her grandfather. “This poem was about offering your honest and humble love. So I decided to think about him and dedicate the words to him,” Olmedilla said.

Junior and foreign exchange student Cecilia Olmedilla finds her voice

Lily West, Staff Writer May 16, 2022

After seeing a poster for the Poetry Out Loud competition in her English teacher’s classroom, junior and foreign exchange student Cecilia Olmedilla entered and won the schoolwide competition last December....

Freshman Ava Gerth stands with her barrel racing horse, Peppy. Gerth shared a dream of competing in the National Finals for the rodeo with Peppy, and she has her eyes set on that target. “I love riding horses because it gives me self-confidence, and I feel like I can do anything. It makes me feel strong and able to overcome any sort of tragedy. I want to pursue this because of how it makes me feel and how happy it makes me. In everything relating to being on a horse, I love it, and it is my passion,” Gerth said.

Hold your horses!

Dee Tummala, Staff Writer May 13, 2022

Cheering and shouting, freshman Ava Gerth rides a light brown horse onto the racing track. She races around barrels on her horse with speed and agility, adrenaline pumping through her veins.  Gerth...