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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

Writing down notes, alumna Shannon Anderson records information about mussels for her paid internship, which gives insight into the health of streams. Because Anderson is interested in many different aspects of biology, she is using this internship and the variety of classes at Emory to explore her options. “I started off not really knowing if I wanted to do more of a genetics and bio-engineering focus or if I wanted to stick to more of an ecology focus,” Anderson said. “The way that the curriculum works, you can choose classes that fit whatever you want to focus on studying, so I’m going to take classes in both of those.”

Alumna Shannon Anderson follows her passions in biology and social justice

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 15, 2018

Between planning walkouts, doing an ecology internship and studying abroad in Australia, 2016 alumna Shannon Anderson keeps herself busy while going into her third year at Emory University, studying biology...

Juniors Nolan Barbre and Landon Dupont stand with volunteers at the Little Patriots Embraced (LPE) Golf Shootout. “Volunteering at events is an easy way for members of the community to get involved,” Dupont said.

Junior Landon Dupont supports other military families through fundraising

Susie Seidel, Convergence Media Editor July 5, 2018

Junior Landon Dupont and his family expressed their support for families of the armed services at a fundraiser benefiting the organization Little Patriots Embraced (LPE) at the Missouri Bluffs Golf Club,...

Hanging out at a park, Fern Ridge junior Tori Owens, alumna Adina Flowers and sophomore Tony Morse laugh together. Whenever Tony feels upset or down, he goes to his friends who are his support system. “Now that I’m trying to get better, I feel like I can go out and do things I want with my friends, but sometimes I’ll be freaking out the whole time,” Tony said. “I’ll be with my friends, and they’ll be like, ‘Tony, calm down.’ I realized that having them there with me while that’s happening, while the anxiety is going out of control, definitely helps me.”

Sophomore Tony Morse gains positive outlook from struggles with anxiety and depression

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 24, 2018

After dealing with anxiety all throughout his childhood, sophomore Tony Morse came face to face with both the anxiety and depression he experiences when someone reported to the school that he was self-harming...

Drawing in her room, sophomore Caroline Judd often relies on her art, along with photography, to express herself and relieve stress. Caroline runs a photography Instagram and often posts her art on her personal Instagram. “I think when I was younger, I would dress a certain way or I would do certain things or hang out with certain people just because I thought that was what I was supposed to do,” Caroline said. “Doing what I love in art and photography and pursuing my passions has made me feel complete and makes me realize that being different is amazing and creativity is amazing.”

Sophomore Caroline Judd thrives in new lifestyle after recovering from eating disorder

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 18, 2018

Always a health conscious person, sophomore Caroline Judd enjoys working out and eating healthfully. When she became depressed in the summer of 2017, these healthy habits spiraled into an obsession, turning...

Creatively incorporating pieces of herself in each drawing, Natalie Butler takes entries from her personal diary to illustrate her charisma and unique style. Butler stressed the importance of defining art by your lifestyle. “Don’t be afraid to make it yours. Just because yours doesn’t look like someone else’s doesn’t mean it’s bad,” Butler said.

Meet the junior artists

Maddie Cooke and Andrew Li May 11, 2018

Vannia Ung Where do you find inspiration for your pieces? “I follow a lot of artists online, like on Instagram and Twitter, so I get a variety of ideas, and I can draw inspiration from them....

Twirling during a recital, sophomore Katie Solodar dances for the Carol Bowman Academy of Dance at the YMCA. Activities like dancing, listening to music, theatre and watching movies help Katie deal with her anxiety, assisting her in expressing herself and escaping from her stresses. “Dancing can distract me and give me perspective on my problems once I’ve danced my feelings out,” Katie said. “Sometimes it doesn’t help, but often dancing it out with some of my friends is the best way to foster my confidence, productivity and happiness.”

Sophomore Katie Solodar overcomes anxiety and advocates for mental illness awareness

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 9, 2018

Tests, arguments with friends, worries–these are everyday stresses that almost anyone can relate to. However, when these little things started building up and overwhelming sophomore Katie Solodar, she...

Students reflect on their struggles with mental health

Students reflect on their struggles with mental health

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 9, 2018

Depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are widespread among high school students. In fact, one in five kids in the U.S. experiences a mental disorder. However, due to the stigma surrounding...

Posing with camp director Rob Darroch, senior Emily Rayfield stands in front of the climbing tower. Rayfield had been going to Sunnyhill Adventures since she was 7. " It's a summer camp for kids and adults with disabilities, but my family and friends like to attend too. The camp provides activities that all disabilities are capable of doing. It's incredible to see people in wheelchairs make it to the top of a 50-foot climbing tower and to see people with MOT skill difficulty shoot a bow and arrow. Camp provides an escape for people with disabilities and allows them to achieve things that seem impossible to people without disabilities," Emily said.

Senior Emily Rayfield spends her summer serving others

Katie Spillman, PHOTO EDITOR May 7, 2018

Leaving just two days after graduation, senior Emily Rayfield is spending her summer in Dittmer, MO to go to Sunnyhill Adventures camp, which she has attended since she was seven years old.   “The...

Posing with a port on her arm, seniors Stephanie Ingberg and Lauren Lashly have fun taking Prom pictures. Despite Ingberg’s ongoing health obstacles following her illness, she and Lashly wanted to make Prom night special. “I knew that Prom was really important to Stephanie. It helped motivate her and gave positivity during her recovery process,” Lashly said.

Senior Stephanie Ingberg attends Prom after E. coli battle

Susie Seidel, Convergence Media Editor May 4, 2018

Senior Stephanie Ingberg has recently been named by doctors to have endured the United States’ worst case of E. coli but returned to life as a high school student for her senior Prom. Ingberg contracted...

Junior Audrey Heathcote dissects a minx in Human Anatomy and Physiology. The class focuses on the workings of the human body and helps students to learn medical terminology. “The smell was so bad,” Heathcote said. “They smelt worse than cadavers; I almost threw up.”

Junior Audrey Heathcote attends Washington University medical program

Maria Newton, FEATURES EDITOR April 30, 2018

Junior Audrey Heathcote participates in Saturday Scholars, a program hosted by Washington University (Wash U) in St. Louis in which selected high school students learn about the medical field through lectures...