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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

Senior Ja’marion Wayne’s football career doesn’t stop in high school

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer January 21, 2022

On a hot day in the summer of sophomore year, the Wayne family household’s silence was interrupted with the shrill shriek of the phone. Picking the phone up, senior Ja’marion Wayne’s expression shifted...

Freshman Sabrina Urdaneta and her friends pose in front of her house in Cuba. The house was where Urdaneta lived before she left for America, close to the city of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. “All of the walls were rusty and the tiles were falling off. The floor was dirty, but in Cuba - where I lived - my house was considered a really nice house which is crazy to think about, coming to the United States and seeing what a house here looks like,” Urdaneta said.

Año nuevo, vida nueva

Elizabeth Franklin, Editor-in-Chief January 21, 2022

Most people in America would think a pink toothbrush printed with beaming, blushing Disney princesses on the side is nothing out of the ordinary. Most people wouldn’t think twice about seeing a new electric...

Junior Elle Rotter’s collection of five ducks sits lined up on a table. Rotter felt joyful finally finding a duck for herself. “I remember all day [when the ducks were first put out] looking for them in the hallways, library and at lunch,” Rotter said. “A lot of my friends found one before me but I finally found one in the library the next day. I instantly felt so happy. I remember [also] feeling dumb for being so happy and proud, but I quickly shrugged that feeling off and have since enjoyed keeping my eye out for the ducks around the school.”

Duck, duck…on the loose?

Katie Wallace, Staff Writer January 20, 2022

Sophomore Kat Fitzanko walks through the halls carrying a heavy backpack. All of a sudden, she spots a small, yellow object perched up high on a windowsill. A smile dawns across her face as she realizes...

Digging their sandy toes into the ground, seniors Areeb Hasan and Uzair Mohsin prepare to block senior Nathan Meek’s spike, set up by seniors Manoah Inje and Gordon Yu. The boys took time to hype each other up after plays. “There's a lot of boosting each other up. As you play, you have like five people telling you how great you are and that feels great. When we get off [the pit], people always comment like 'Oh, so-and-so has gotten so good at this.’ I love that we’re learning and having a good time,” Meek said.

A net gain: senior boys spend quality time in the sand volleyball pits

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief January 13, 2022

In an age where students have become increasingly focused on grades, extracurriculars and college applications, a group of boys have taken to playing amateur sand volleyball at Edgar M. Queeny County Park...

Getting ready to be recorded, sophomore Katelynn Meyer (right) takes position to sign the news for the day. As a member of Longhorn Sports Production and News (LSPN), Meyer, along with sophomore Mackenzie Brown, anchored the daily round up news which included general announcements, clubs & activities and a featured story. “After-school clubs gave me a place to be, other than the DHH room, and an opportunity to meet and to communicate with my hearing peers,” Meyer said. “LSPN News in particular helped me feel really confident in communicating with others and with larger crowds.”

Navigating the world in silence

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst December 16, 2021

Living in a world of silence is the common reality for those suffering from hearing impairment. According to the CDC, as many as 15% of school-age children have significant hearing loss in at least one...

Lifting a state record in the deadlift event, sophomore Tommy Eschbach pulls 360 lbs to his hips. Behind him, a competition official ensures that Eschbach’s form is synonymous with powerlifting regulations. “I tried my best and I got results, so I know that if I work hard enough I can compete in a national competition and maybe even get a record,” Eschbach said.

Weightlifting his way to the top

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer December 15, 2021

Knees shaking, legs aching and arms straining, sophomore Tommy Eschbach lifts 360 lbs up to his hips into a deadlift. The only thoughts running through his head are telling him to push himself to the max....

Senior Trisha Manna examines a flower while at a fairy-themed tea party that her friends decided to throw. Manna picked out the music they played for their party. “My favorite thing was the feeling of being there,” Manna said. “It kind of felt like it was a world away because we had school the next day [and] we were escaping from that.”

A whimsical affair

Sarah Boland, Staff Writer November 9, 2021

Fairies, princesses and tea parties: a childhood dream come to life. Seniors Marissa Liu, Trisha Manna, Brinda Ambal, Maura Collins and Tiffany Ung ended their summer with a fairy-themed tea party. The...

Students show interest in non-school sponsored sports, finding a way to express themselves outside of school.

Athletes engage in non-traditional after school sports

Emma Iswarienko, Staff Writer November 5, 2021

Soaring over a jump, hitting her forms for the judges, the splash of water in his face  and  landing a trick for the first time - while these students have almost nothing in common, their passion for...

Sophomore Anijah Wilson, sophomore Printéz Harris, freshman Somer King, senior Ja’Khai Aiken-Guerrier, senior Daniellie McLaurin and junior Brian Campbell model their hair. Collage uses photographs by Kelsea Wilson, Addie Gleason, Abbi Vanvalkenburgh and Brinda Ambal.

The pride and culture of Black hair

Elizabeth Franklin, Editor-in-Chief November 4, 2021

Since the days of American slavery, Black hair has been a widely debated and criticized topic. In the early 1700s, white people degraded slaves with natural hair by calling it “wool,” comparing Black...

Senior Mckayla Apollo shows her tattoo that reads 'your wings were ready but my heart was not' while looking at a picture of her mom.

Significant Ink

Drew Boone, Staff Writer November 4, 2021

When in high school students choose a variety of ways to express their personality. Whether it be through clothes or jewelry, many factors help make each student their own. For seniors Kenzi Sampson, Tyree...