Social studies teacher Amy Thornhill knows that current events play a major role in the topics she teaches in her classes. Thornhill constantly updates lesson plans to fit the news around the globe because...
With the fresh aroma of sesame seed bagels wafting through the kitchen air, science teacher Amy Van Matre-Woodward wakes up early Saturday morning to bake for her family. Outside of her teaching career,...
Strolling along the beautiful, white sand shores of the top beach in America, Siesta Key, Fla., revisiting their honeymoon destination from 24 years ago, an elaborate sandcastle caught English ASC Kristen...
Hidden in a nook on the first floor, math and computer science teacher Jason Townsend enthusiastically teaches his last year of classes before retirement. His booming voice resounds off the blue...
Too much time spent without music often kills the desire to play, but social studies teacher Aaron Bashirian did not lose interest. Instead, the rockstar-gone-teacher stayed in touch with his desire to...
Living anywhere from Japan to Germany, new Athletic and Activities Secretary Gina Groceman is well-traveled. Throughout Groceman and her husband’s many adventures, they not only developed a passion for...
Design Arts and Digital Design teacher Kristi Ponder discovered her love for art by thinking outside her box. While in high school, Ponder found she struggled with abstract art assignments.
“I didn’t...
Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor
• October 24, 2022
Business teacher Bill Mitchell and his identical twin brother became homeless at 17 years old after a turbulent home situation arose. Throughout high school, Mitchell and his brother found comfort in wrestling...
Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief
• October 14, 2022
One day at West, former Principal Beth Plunkett was in an English classroom when she saw a fire start from a telephone line. It shimmied towards a nearby generator, which exploded into flames, sending...
Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• September 20, 2022
Activities Director Jeff Taggart started the school year with an unorganized office and a smile. Taggart has had many job titles, including assistant principal, basketball coach, activities director and...
![Social studies teacher Amy Thornhill writes her daily class agenda in front of the whiteboard. Thornhill teaches AP Human Geography, World History and Psychology and has witnessed difficulty for students to form an opinion recently in all of these classes. “Everyone's opinion is valid. Everyone's opinion is justified. But [when] you have so many opinions. It's hard for kids to figure out their [own]. Those are the things I try to articulate and get kids to understand,” Thornhill said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/unnamed-e1685623545392.jpg)
![With the sun setting in the background, English ASC Kristen Witt and her husband, Aaron Witt, wear matching team shirts for the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival. In 2021, they ran out of time for matching team shirts and instead wore ‘West is Best’ shirts, while in 2022, they made custom couple shirts. “This year, [Aaron] decided to have them made. On the front, it said ‘Team Witt,’ and on the back, it had ‘24,’ for how many years we have been married, and it [reads], ‘24 years of playing in the sand together,’” Kristen said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/20221112_174031-1-Edited-900x675.png)
![Math and computer science teacher Jason Townsend explains how to graph algebraic equations in front of the class. Townsend teaches algebra, calculus, and computer science. "I love teaching calculus [because] calculus [is] more challenging [and] more interesting to me. Granted, if you're a good teacher, you find ways to make [all math] interesting for your students and you challenge yourself to do it differently all the time,” Townsend said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Townsend-900x721.jpg)
![Eyes and ruler fixed towards the screen, social studies teacher Aaron Bashirian points to his Smartboard and explains the history behind his barn. Having learned the ropes of carpentry, Bashirian made structural changes to the barn by himself over the past three years. “It’s not your normal barn, but it’s cool, though. It’s got quite a bit of history to it,” Bashirian said. “It used to be a carriage house; you can see where they used to keep the horse. There’s still a grain [and] hay shoot [too]. They parked Model T-style cars [that created] all these oil slicks on the floor where they leaked. You can see that there’s a lot of history in there. I love it, [it’s a] perfect building for a history guy. ”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/gvhgvgj-1-900x643.jpg)
![Senior Nick Menendez chose to honor Business Teacher Bill Mitchell during Teacher Appreciation night for varsity boys soccer. Players wrote letters to their teachers and gave them to them before the game. “I chose Mr. Mitchell because I enjoy his class. I believe what he's teaching will actually be useful to me later on in life. [I like] solving problems, working out how to best present an idea or a concept and then working through that and delivering on it,” Menendez said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Teacher-Appreciation-900x600.jpg)
![Checking in with the Parkway West Superfan, Activities Director Jeff Taggart talks with kids during lunch. Taggart looked forward to building connections with students and becoming a part of the school community. "[I just want] to be involved, in the cafeteria, at lunchtime, at different sporting events or activities."](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC_5077-900x600.jpg)