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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

A pile of Advanced Placement (AP) study books sit on a library desk. When taking AP classes, many students sacrifice other areas of their lives to keep their grades up. “It's not the fact that I am taking an AP class. I am spending more time doing the work for school than I would spend time with friends and family,” senior Noah Schell said. “It is a sacrifice I made and realized after signing up for the classes. Over the years, I have devised a system of managing my time, which sometimes means I don’t get all of the work done.”

Balancing brain power: the need to prioritize mental health over AP classes

Pathfinder Editorial Board January 19, 2023

In 2022, 424 Parkway West students took 801 Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, meaning that most took two or more tests, and over a third of the student population enrolled in an AP class. Because course...

School should be a safe space for all students regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality. However, bullying and exclusion can turn productive learning environments into places of fear and distress. Finding a solution to this discrimination is imperative in ensuring every student has a positive learning environment and equal opportunity to succeed.

Capable, curious, caring, corrupted

Pathfinder Editorial Board December 31, 2022

Disclaimer: To protect student identity, certain sources have been given different names. We see the happy-go-lucky attitude daily in our classrooms: brightly colored posters plastered across the walls...

As environmentally friendly practices — as well as the ways that companies shortcut them — become more prevalent in many areas of consumerism, student consumers need to inform themselves of these two “sus”-tainable practices to reduce their contribution to the impending effects of climate change.

“Sus”-tainable fashion

Pathfinder Editorial Board November 28, 2022

In the modern global market, environmentally-friendly products are rising to the top of fashion trends. Whether it’s a hunter-green backpack or the trend of ‘thrifting,’ many teens find it fashionable...

The idea of attending university following high school is so ingrained in our high schools, many do not receive a thorough explanation of alternate options.

Postsecondary pressures

Pathfinder Editorial Board October 26, 2022

College.  With early action application deadlines quickly approaching, it’s safe to say that college is a pressing thought on many senior students’ minds. Years of preparation — career quizzes,...

Recent changes to Title XI of the Missouri Revised Statutes bring back questions about corporal punishment in schools. As a toddler, now-sophomore Sadie Burgess attended Eufaula, a school district with an opt-in corporal punishment system allowing parents to determine if teachers could physically discipline their children. “I don't agree with [corporal punishment]. It's a very harsh way to punish kids; some kids have behavioral issues that not everyone understands. Solving those issues with violence isn't the answer,” Burgess said.

Corporal punishment: What defines necessary?

Pathfinder Editorial Board September 30, 2022

Years ago, corporal punishment was standard practice in classrooms worldwide. After a period of resentment against corporal punishment, a public school district in Missouri recently reinstated it, allowing...

A graphic of the 2021-22 senior staff for the Pathfinder.

Class of 2022 seniors reflect on high school experiences

Pathfinder Editorial Board May 13, 2022

It’s safe to say our high school experience was like no other. We lived through a pandemic, political chaos and national racial movements. Amid these times, we were lucky enough to have a semblance of...

Journalists should not be targeted in conflicts; an attack on the freedom of the press is an attack on freedom and natural rights.

An attack on civilian journalists is an attack on free press

Pathfinder Editorial Board April 29, 2022

Chances are, journalists are not the first people that spring to mind when thinking of professions that put their lives on the line. However, with each passing year, being a journalist is becoming more...

The influence of religion on public education discussions has grown: we have to protect the secularism of public education while remaining respectful to all groups.

Drawing the line between religion and state

Pathfinder Editorial Board March 31, 2022

As reporters of our school and community, we believe we must share and respect all student voices. Over the last year, we have covered controversial and underrepresented topics, including gender-neutral...

It is crucial to consider the long-term effects of returning to “normal” on our society.

Should a return to normal really be our goal?

Pathfinder Editorial Board February 25, 2022

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, we have all anxiously awaited a return to any semblance of normalcy. “Getting back to normal” is a phrase that has been exhausted in conversation, a goal that...

As we transition to the later months of winter, the unhoused population in St. Louis still needs our support.

The holidays are over. Homelessness isn’t.

Pathfinder Editorial Board January 31, 2022

The holidays might be drawing to a close, but our commitment to our city should not be. While the rest of us hunker down into our mid-winter routines, safe and warm at home, St. Louis’s homeless population...