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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

Emma Whittenburg enjoys the view of the Yuyuan Garden with her friends. Whittenburg moved back to the United States in September. "It was much easier for my friends and me to go around the city because I could go out alone without any type of parental supervision. It was normal for people and kids to go out by themselves or just with a group of friends," Whittenburg said.

Sophomore Emma Whittenburg moves from East Asia to the Midwest

Maddie Cooke, STAFF WRITER November 14, 2017

With over 24 million people living in Shanghai, sophomore Emma Whittenburg and her family were among millions who thrived in this busy Chinese city for five years. However, in Sept. of 2017, Whittenburg...

Music teacher Brian Parrish instructs the concert choir on facial expressions. Parrish has been singing since his childhood. “Voice is my primary instrument, always has been, but I’m also a jazz pianist—I can manage my way around that pretty well,” Parrish said.

Music teacher Brian Parrish inspires student musicians

Maria Newton, FEATURES EDITOR November 14, 2017

Inspired by his own instructors, music teacher Brian Parrish uses his charisma and passion for music to influence all types of young musicians. Although no one in his immediate family is a musician...

Freshman Emma Roth dances in black Adidas-wear behind varsity in orange at the homecoming game. Roth performed a back handspring during the dance. "Gymnastics helped me become more flexible," Roth said. "I also used leaps and jumps a lot which are similar in gymnastics and poms."

Freshman Emma Roth brings flips to the poms team

Leah Selm, Staff Writer November 14, 2017

After retiring from gymnastics, freshman Emma Roth decided to use her skills in gymnastics to help her on the poms team. Since she was 2 years old, Emma had done gymnastics and was on competitive teams...

Junior Sophie Pellegrino recounts recovery from anorexia with spiritual healing

Junior Sophie Pellegrino recounts recovery from anorexia with spiritual healing

Kelsey Long, STAFF WRITER November 10, 2017

Junior Sophie Pellegrino beat anorexia and recovered after a long period of struggling. Now, she uses her story to help others who are suffering. Her disorder started in eighth grade. She would wake up,...

Susan Dean hugs her 23-year-old daughter Molly Dean before the volleyball game against Webster Groves during the 2016-2017 season. The match ended in a victory for the Longhorns in two games, 25-18 and 27-25. “The game was really special, in my mind that speaks for the tradition and longevity of our program,” Dean said.

Susan Dean finds her passion through education

Sarah Lashly, COPY COACH November 2, 2017

After graduating in 1981, alumnus Susan Dean was not sure what she wanted to pursue in college. Her basketball coach, Steve Baxter, helped her find her way to teaching. “I ran into him at Mizzou second...

Junior secretary Pam McHardy helps the kids learn how to ballroom dance.

Getting to know junior secretary Pam McHardy

Gabby Leon, STAFF WRITER November 2, 2017

Pathfinder: What got you interested in your job? Mcha: “Our sons are grown, and I miss the high school years.” Is this your first year being secretary? “No, [I have been a secretary for]...

Rose (right) graduated from the University of Missouri. She participated in student teaching for two schools in the Columbia, Missouri, but she got to eventually visited all four schools in the district. “I was getting a lot of time and a lot of teaching practice in every school in the district,” Rose said.

An alumna’s homecoming

Sydney Kinzy, PHOTO EDITOR November 2, 2017

As Taylor Rose heads down the hall to get the keys to her new classroom, she walks past her old locker. When she arrives at her classroom, the alumna is pleasantly surprised–it was the same classroom...

Playing on their phones instead of doing homework, seniors Terrell Jones and Jonathan Dixon relax in the senior lounge. The senior lounge was given to seniors as an alternative to the study hall rooms, but Dixon used it as a place to watch Netflix. “The moment I stepped into West High this year I knew I wanted to get out as soon as possible,” Dixon said.

Senioritis: fact or fiction

Katie Spillman, PHOTO EDITOR November 1, 2017
92 percent of students who responded to a survey sent out to all seniors said that they already felt that they were experiencing senioritis.

Testing coordinator Jeff Taylor puts on an explosive performance at Pyromania

Sydney Kinzy, PHOTO EDITOR November 1, 2017

After two months of scripting and a full day of prep, roughly 800 explosives were planted across a massive field in Wright City, Mo. before a crowd of 11,000 people for the annual Pyromania fireworks competition...

Senior Bama Nanić poses with her colored ttdeye contacts and green diamante scarves hijab. In 20 hours, the picture gained 3,460 likes. “Middle school was when I fell in love with makeup, and in high school, I just really felt like stepping my game up,” Nanić said.

Highlights of senior Bama Nanić’s instagram influence

Nayeon Ryu, Video Editor October 27, 2017

With cheekbones sharper than a knife and a hijab placed delicately on her head, senior Bama Nanić kills the Instagram game with her following of 29.3k. Nanić has a public Instagram account where...