Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• January 31, 2023
With a house that sold fast and a plan to graduate early, senior Aaron Sims and his family decided to move to Atlanta at the end of Sims’ first semester as a senior.
Sims' top choice for college...
Under the spotlight, junior Romy Taylor highlights her character, dancing, fitness and fashion in the 2023 Miss Missouri Teen Volunteer (MMTV) Pageant. Pageants have been a passion of Taylor’s for nine...
A large culture has been growing on social media and other platforms based on helping as many individuals as they can lose weight. However, people need to recognize the struggle on the opposite side of...
During her sophomore year, now senior Lexi Lutz had an experience where a boy took her power away. Since then, she has turned her pain into self-empowerment and innovatively pushes for women to do the...
Eating disorders are commonly associated with body dysmorphia issues; however, for sophomore Lila Hartle, that was not the case. What started as a small loss of appetite quickly escalated. Her eating disorder...
The holiday season means something different for everyone. For some, a time to be with family and friends. For others, a time of remembrance and tradition. For senior Grant Meert, the holiday season is...
Pen travels across the paper. Guitar strings strum. Chords travel across the room in sound waves, crafting into rhythms and lyrical melodies. A new song joins the collection of 450 other songs written...
A lively wag of a tail, a slobbery smile and a cuddly greeting as an owner, opens the door: all things typical of our fluffy friends that could make anyone smile. However, for junior Leah Leifer, dogs...
Former junior Cory Driver went into the school year with a LOL Surprise Doll Backpack and a determination to drop out. After months of back-and-forth with his principal and counselor, Driver emailed his administrators and teachers a minion meme reading, “I’m dropping out and getting my GED.”
Thanksgiving is when families and friends gather to show their gratitude for each other. However, every family celebrates in unique ways, often beyond the stereotypical turkey and stuffing. Read on to learn about some of our student’s untraditional traditions.
![After his early graduation, senior Aaron Sims poses with his friends on his last day in St. Louis before moving to Atlanta. Seniors Tommy Wehrmeister, Jacob Jehling, Emily Kerber, Aaron Sims and Cameron Jehling spent a lot of winter break together celebrating Kerber’s birthday and Sims’ soon departure. “I was worried about making new friends [in Atlanta] because I had such a great group of friends in Missouri. I was worried about learning how to interact with other people, but it turned out to be pretty easy. I miss all of my friends back in Missouri. I was happy to be able to make new friends here,” Sims said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/unnamed-2.jpeg)
![Eyes to the sky, junior Romy Taylor stands center stage in the evening gown section of the 2023 Miss Missouri Teen Volunteer Pageant. Taylor received compliments from judges and the audience for her walk, a skill she believes this section allows contestants to flaunt. “[Walking on stage in a gown] shows how much grace someone can carry. I absolutely love it when I get to show it off on stage,” Taylor said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/romy-900x596.jpg)
![Senior Grant Meert prepares to throw a white pine Christmas tree through a netting machine. Of the many species of trees, Meert Tree Farm grows — including Scotch pine, Norway spruce, Virginia pine, Fraser fir and Michigan Scotch pine — Meert’s favorite is white pine. “Picking your tree gives people a good experience. It’s something that everyone needs to do at least once,” Meert said. “It gives customers a family memory and bonding time. I like having that time [with my family], and [we] make it a whole day.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG-6534.jpg)
![Playing an acoustic guitar, freshman Noelle McSpadden sits just outside of her music classroom. McSpadden was inspired to play guitar to add to her songwriting. “[Guitar class] makes songwriting much easier for me. I feel good about my music because I can actually play with a guitar [to back it up],” McSpadden said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/noellemcspadden-900x600.jpg)
![Former junior Cory Driver decided to drop out this summer, feeling disheartened with the school system. He now has more time to pursue other interests, such as going to trade school, building his “yaasified crust punk” band and working more hours at Qdoba. “I'd been talking to my principal and my counselor since the middle of summer. I'd keep trying to have conversations saying, ‘Hey, I want to drop out and get my GED.’ Every single time I'd try to have [that] conversation, they did whatever they could to make sure that I didn't drop out [because] if I drop out, it makes the school look bad,” Driver said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Cory-Driver-1.png)
