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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

After completing a discussion, members of the Global Cohort Competency group pose for a photo. Teachers and staff members were allowed to come throughout the day to listen to the students. “I’m just very appreciative to the students who gave their time to speak,” science teacher Amy Cohen said. “I know it’s not always easy to have personal and honest conversations, particularly with staff members that they might not know personally. I got so much out of being in those conversations and facilitating the discussions, so I hope that the students got value out of it.”

Global Competency Cohort strives to give minority students a platform

Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Section Editor May 13, 2019

After listening and engaging in a student panel discussion April 24 to increase cultural and religious awareness, science teacher Amy Cohen, assistant principal Beth Middendorf and journalism teacher Debra...

Beginning his victory lap around the gym, 2019 Teacher of the Year awardee Emanuel Young pumps his fists to energize the crowd at the Spring Pep Rally, March 29. This is Young’s fourth year teaching business at West High.. “I was in a state of disbelief,” Young said. “My heart was racing; it was one of those things you felt like you should have known but didn’t.”

Teacher of the Year takes on new challenges after 10 years in the classroom

Drew Boone and Joey Grove May 9, 2019

Excitement buzzes in room 2312 as Principal Jeremy Mitchell enters with a basket of gifts and a certificate for business teacher Emmanuel Young, the 2019 Parkway West Teacher of the Year. Young has...

Admiring their work, students take a photo after decorating the sidewalks leading into the school Sunday, March 28. Longhorn Council wrote positive phrases and messages in bathrooms throughout the school and on sidewalks to prepare for Pay it Forward Week. “I had a fun time decorating mirrors and sidewalks on Sunday,” junior Quinn Berry said. “It’s so rewarding to spread positivity and make someones day in unexpected ways.”

Longhorn Council pays it forward to the environment

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor May 7, 2019

Positive phrases written in colorful lettering adorn the mirrors of the bathrooms and sidewalks outside of school in honor of the annual Pay it Forward Week. The week, planned by Longhorn Council, promotes...

With her right hand hovering over the buzzer, senior Lindsay Perrett answers questions in the science bowl. The team answered questions that concerned all branches of math and science. “It was an exciting event for me to be a part of, and it benefitted me academically too,” Perrett said.

Scientists compete head-to-head in regional science bowl

Grace Fassler, Convergent Media Writer April 26, 2019

Standing on platforms awaiting their final question, sophomore Caleb Levy and senior Lindsay Perrett compete in the Missouri Regional High School Science Bowl. “You always have to be a little on...

Adding the final touches to the senior mural, senior Bailey Goughenour finishes painting the second design that her and senior Natalie Butler created. After the first design fell through, the artists came together to come up with the ‘Dream Big’ design. “It was just a lot of stress, and it was just really disappointing because we had been cleared. For him to come back and say it’s not anymore was just really sad and hurtful,” Goughenour said. “But after we were turned down, me and Natalie got together, and we were like, ‘what can we do to make this be good?’ We just started brainstorming, and we came up with a new design.”

Students redesign hand wall after controversy

Mary Hardy, Convergent Media Writer April 23, 2019

When seniors Natalie Butler and Bailey Goughenour found out that their design for the senior hand wall in the cafeteria had won over the hearts of 75% of the senior class, they were excited because they...

Junior Caroline Judd attempts to follow an online weightlifting video. In the summer of 2020 Parkway is introducing a new online physical education course available to all students.

Parkway introduces online physical education course

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor April 17, 2019

Students scale rock walls, dance to cultural music, toss frisbees, lift heavyweights and earn scuba certifications within the large assortment of physical education courses that Parkway offers. Adding...

The awarded seniors pose for a picture in the hallway outside Derek Grier’s office on their way to be recognized on the House floor. Each student was awarded one of the virtues of Missouri that surround the house ceiling. “I was awarded ‘law,’ and I think that’s because I’m a very morally driven person. I base most of my life around ethics, and use that to lead others,” senior Bella Hatzigeorgiou said.

Senior students receive Glory of Missouri awards for embodying values of the state

Dani Fischer and Maria Newton April 15, 2019

Every year, 14 high school seniors are chosen as representatives of the 14 values of Missouri. The students then travel to Jefferson City to receive their awards from their district representative...

Inside the English Concepts Center, teaching assistant Rose Rouner works on her laptop. Rouner spends most of her mornings answering emails for parents of students in the Eighth Grade Acceleration program. "A lot of it is getting information to the parents or just answering questions,” Rouner said. “Some of it has to do with communication between teachers and parents, like about registration for the following year or having an information meeting coming up."

Eighth grade acceleration: helpful or stressful?

Fatema Rehmani, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief April 12, 2019

While their peers are just waking up in the morning, a select group of accelerated eighth graders are already sitting in their first period in a high school classroom. For the last seven years, through...

In a Boomalang session, junior Quinn Berry practices her Spanish skills. Berry, a Spanish three student, opted to participate in Boomalang. "Boomalang forces me to only speak Spanish with a Native speaker so it helps me in my speaking and listening tests which helps me overall in Spanish,” Berry said. “It gives me a chance to interact with other cultures while building my comprehension skills."

Saying Bonjour, Hola and Guten Tag: Modern and Classical Language Department offers crosscultural language opportunities

Kathryn McAuliffe, Managing Editor-in-Chief April 10, 2019

Sitting in front of her computer screen French five student and senior Sophie Pellegrino has just finished a 30-minute conversation, in French, with a native speaker from Paris, France. “It’s really...

Pathfinder editors junior Lydia Roseman, seniors Maria Newton and Dani Fischer and juniors Sabrina Bohn and Emma Caplinger, along with Journalism Adviser Debra Klevens take a photo with Edmund J. Sullivan, the Executive Director of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, after receiving a Gold Crown award. In 2018, the Pathfinder won a CSPA Silver Crown Award. “It was an incredible experience to be in a room with so many of the schools that we look up to and draw inspiration from,” senior and Managing Editor-in-Chief Dani Fischer said.

A crowning achievement

Nadia Messmer, Convergent Media Writer April 5, 2019

In a grand auditorium at Columbia University, five students sat waiting in the audience. A lone man on stage announced, “Pathfinder, Parkway West High School. Ballwin, Missouri: Gold Crown.” The students...