![“One of my hobbies is sewing. I love to sew, and I got into it in eighth grade when I took a class in middle school. We made a stuffed animal and a duffel bag, and I thought it was so cool. I've been sewing different things such as clothes, quilts and redoing vintage clothes ever since. I have only taught science, although I taught [ in fourth grade] summer school for about five years with my mom and aunt. My most memorable moments are my most fun [ones]. What makes them memorable is when we have Homecoming weeks and dress-up days. I love having an excuse to dress up like a total moron, and I love making up costumes. I have an entire rack of costume stuff like Halloween costumes, so I love that. Being a science teacher here was my first job, and I've been here ever since. I've been teaching at West throughout, but I will eventually retire [from my current role].” - Colleen O’Toole, Science](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Untitled-1-1200x800.jpg)
![“Something exciting in my life right now is cheerleading. I have been [doing competitive cheer] for five years. I always wanted to be on a high school cheer team and be a part of that [community]. Even though cheer is something I look forward to every day it can clash with some of the other things I really enjoy doing. For example, when I want to hang out with my friends after school I can’t because I have [practice]. Time management and balance are things that get pushed to the side because of it too. Sometimes I can’t get all of my homework done in time and that is something I’m still trying to work on. But I think with practice and more time I will be able to get a good balance on everything.”-Zowie Hrabak, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/zowie-hrabak-9th-1200x800.jpg)
![“Sophomore year is going pretty well. I like how there's more freedom and electives [that] you can choose rather than freshman-year electives [that are required]. I'm taking Intro to Culinary Arts, German, and Interior Design. Next semester I'm taking Design Arts. A good part of freshman year was my fashion class and [how] we learned how to sew pillowcases and then used a sewing machine. We also learned a little bit about interior design. My favorite part though, was joining the water polo team. I like how it's a tough sport that makes you train really hard, but [also helps to] push yourself so you don't give up easily. My parents kind of dragged me into it. They [suggested] that I should do it, and kind of pressured me a little bit. At first when I joined it, I hated it so much. But then, eventually, I grew to love it.” - Katie Morelli, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/KatieMorelli10-1200x800.jpg)
![”High school so far has been fun. It's not as stressful and I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be. My favorite part about high school so far has been journalism. I like journalism because it gives you the freedom to use your strengths in different ways. I also enjoy algebra. Not a lot of people like math, but I find it really fun. I have a really good teacher and I think that helps a lot with liking a class. I play golf, soccer, and volleyball. Soccer probably [means the most] because I've played it for a very long time. [It is special] because I can relate to people in my family. My brother plays soccer, my dad used to play and it's fun for the whole family to go watch it or play it together. Something that's important to me is getting good grades because I want to go to college. I want to have the best grades that I can [have] so I can set myself up for success. As of right now, I want to be some sort of photographer. Right now I'm really into concert photography [because] it looks really fun. Photography is special to me because you just get to capture moments in time and you can share things that people don’t get to see.” - Laney Thomas, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-9-1200x800.jpg)
![“The best thing that you can do for yourself is dress the way you want, talk the way you want, and be as social as you possibly can. Just be as happy, positive, and expressive as possible, love each other, and be confident about that. [A way I express myself is through] art. I'm an artist in so many ways, I work with a bunch of different media. I write songs, I sing in a band, I play the bass, I just really love music. Every person is unique and can be an artist as long as they base their art around their experiences. [My art is about my] childhood, and social experiences [because] I know that can be a really big connector with people who have gone through things like that. I just really love being able to love [on] other people.” - Faith Kothe, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1-FaithKothe11-1200x800.jpg)
![“Try your hardest and don’t give up. My parents and friends inspire me the most. My friends keep me happy when I’m at school, and outside of school. My parents give me courage to work through problems and they teach me passion [along] with confidence in my life. There's definitely times when I need them, [but] there are also times when I need one more than the other. A time where I needed them [the] most was when my grandpa died. I needed my friends and family for different moments during that point in my life. I’d say it helped a lot [because] they showed me that they loved and cared for me. I’d like to think [that] I show my friends and family that I [also] care about them. I’m always there if they need to talk to me, and I try to never leave their side [because] you never know what someone is going through. You just have to be patient and [be] positive with people.” - Dylan Davies, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DSC_0034-1200x800.jpg)
![“I started playing basketball in first grade. I kind of played every sport when I was younger, but basketball has always been the one that stuck with me [for] the longest. Basketball is important to me because pretty much everyone in my family plays basketball, and overall, a very enjoyable sport. I’m definitely excited for basketball season. I’m hoping that we can have a pretty good team this year, win a lot of games, and have a lot of fun. My goal is to get into basketball coaching. A lot of my family is involved in that, and I think that it would be a great career for me. I really like to be a leader, and inspire people. I am really passionate about the game of basketball. Being a senior is so special because [I] get to be [a] leader [in] the school. [I] also get to help out the underclassmen, and it’s [my] last year here so I want to make the most of it, and really enjoy it. It feels great; I’m really happy that I made it through the first three years of high school and get to continue [to] further my education.” - Jamie Franciscus, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/DSC_0020-1-1200x800.jpg)
![”Sophomore year is going really well. I have gotten so many opportunities this year and [it has been] a big step up from last year. I didn't think that was possible. I [enjoy] playing guitar in [a] jazz band. It has led me to have more guitar [playing] skills. I get to learn how to play good riffs and get more familiar with the fretboard, which is something that I wasn't able to do by myself without a push. I love the guitar because all my idols play it, like Jimi Hendrix [and] anybody who has ever play[ed] guitar, like Rick Rubin. My band teacher has [pushed me] because I wasn’t familiar with any of the [chords] charts. I didn't even even know how to read music before this year, so that was pretty cool just to be forced into that and learn music theory. [Advice I have for new musicians is to] practice as hard as you can build up those calluses. Got to make it hurt and then you’ll be fine.” - Addison Smith, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AddisonSmith10-1200x800.jpg)
![“I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wis. I started out [working] at a retail music store. to pay the bills when I was still back in Milwaukee. I could play piano since I was six and taught myself the guitar and drums. In high school I was in a band, but then I started writing music seriously when I was in college. By the time I finished college, I had enough [music saved up] to make a CD. I went ahead and loaded a CD and started promoting it. [Later] I made another EP which is a shorter [version of a] CD. In the midst of moving to St. Louis, I built a recording studio. By the time I was in St. Louis, I was actually recording a lot of my own stuff, and then I started working with rappers for a while. I was trying to find [an] angle in the music [industry], so I experimented with different things. At the end of the day, I just kind of got burnt out, and I knew that retail didn't have a future for me. So my wife just suggested that I become a teacher. I thought I liked kids, I liked history, and I already had a history degree. I liked the lifestyle of a teacher, so I decided to give it a try and it was a good choice. ” - Aaron Bashirian, History](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Aaron-Bashirian-Staff.jpg)
![“I'm excited for what the future holds. [Being a professional dancer] gives me a space where I can just be myself and I can transfer [my] emotions to my dance. My favorite [type of] dance is Jazz. It's really fun and there are a bunch of different styles within it. I can do a bunch of a bunch of tricks, [and] I like turns. I'm most happy [when I’m with] my dance friends because they just get me. We've grown up together, and they're really special to me. My biggest struggle is being a perfectionist, because with being a dancer [I] have to get everything right. [I have to have] the right counts, [and do] the tricks right, so [I] just have to be perfect [in] doing things. My favorite memory is probably [going to] nationals. We won the entire competition. We got first place, and it was really fun, seeing everyone in the audience tear up. We were all so happy, we just forgot about all of our worries.” - Poppi Wright, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_7178-1200x800.jpg)
![Performing as Nibs in “Lost Girl,” junior Avery Hermann inspects a drawing of Neverland made by the show’s main character, Wendy Darling. Hermann not only acted in “Lost Girl”, but he also served as assistant director of the show. “I found ‘Lost Girl’ to be a beautiful and touching story, and I’m really glad I got to be a part of it. My favorite part of the show [was] my work as assistant director. I spent a lot of time working with every [cast member] on character, deliveries and emotional development. It was so amazing to see these brilliant actors come to life on stage in such a colorful way,” Hermann said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC_1258-Enhanced-NR-1-1200x798.jpg)
![Gazing up from the stage, junior Joseph McCurdy who played Peter Pan in the school play, Lost Girl, sits next to senior Juliana Rogers, who plays Wendy Darling, during a theater rehearsal. McCurdy’s passion for theater began when he observed a West High production in middle school. “I've been in the high school theater program since I was a freshman. I've always loved theater, but [what prompted me to join] was [when] I went to see [a performance here] when I was in middle school, and it was super cool,” McCurdy said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_6535-1200x798.jpeg)
Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, Parkway West’s theater department traveled through the life of Wendy Darling, in their newest production. “Lost Girl,”...
From down the hall, bursts of laughter and applause spill out of a classroom unlike a typical history class. Inside, instead of sitting through...