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
Teaming up with seniors Chase Haun, Brock Sweet and Mitchell Seavey, senior Ben Gingrich performs a comedy act during Mr. Longhorn dress rehearsals on Nov. 16. Gingrich signed up after being encouraged by Longhorn Council’s recruiting efforts. “We've got a lot of talent out there, a lot of funny acts, a lot of impressive acts — it's gonna be a good show. My Sports Lit teacher Casey Holland encouraged me to do it and branch out and try something different from what I’d usually do,” Gingrich said. “Bring positive attitudes, and be ready to be wowed.”

Behind the scenes: A peek into the process of the Mr. Longhorn contestants

Elizabeth Franklin, Serena Liu, Emily Early, Cindy Phung, and Triya Gudipati • November 17, 2023

For the past few days, the senior contestants for the annual charity pageant Mr. Longhorn have rehearsed in the theater, practicing their acts, learning a group dance and mastering the art of swaggering...

Each year, senior boys compete in Mr. Longhorn, a talent show and pageant designed to raise money for charity. “It’s going to be a blast, it’s going to be a great time,” Haun said. “I think it's going to be exciting. I'm not too scared, as long as I don't mess up, it'll be great.”

The show must go on

Triya Gudipati, Editor-in-Chief • November 16, 2023

On Friday, Nov. 17, 16 senior boys will take the stage to compete for the coveted title of Mr. Longhorn. To win the crown, participants must score the highest cumulatively in three categories: occupational...

Seven cast members stand in a semi-circle on stage, placing their wands in the middle of their huddle.

Accio tickets! Lights, camera, “Puffs”!

Keira Lang and Zoya Hasan • October 30, 2023

This month, the theater department put on a production titled “Puffs”, a spoof of the famous Harry Potter series through the eyes of the Hufflepuffs, utilizing a protagonist who wishes he was the hero...

Junior Felicity Jackson volunteers to assist Nothing Bundt Cakes by handing out mini bundts and checking tickets off. She gained hours for National Honors Society in the process. “It’s nice to go through a [list] of things and check them off. It makes it makes you feel productive even though you're only checking things really fast.” Jackson said.

Get a taste of this!

Keira Lang and Zoya Hasan • October 17, 2023

On Oct. 5, Taste of West returned for the first time in two years. The event was hosted in the main gym where students could purchase a $15 ticket to taste foods from different vendors around the St. Louis...

A Code Yellow occured during the first week of school on August 23. The school was put on lockdown and precautions were taken, such as getting the bomb squad to search the building. “You can't play anything cheap. You have to investigate everything. That's why we took the steps,” Building Officer Matt Paubel said.

The Code Yellow crisis

Keira Lang and Zoya Hasan • September 19, 2023

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, a Code Yellow was triggered by a bomb threat from an anonymous caller. During this time, no one was able to enter or leave campus — everyone in the school was confined to their...

Prior to their State final round, A Team ran into Mo the mascot, smiling for a picture. With half of A Team graduating this year, senior Owen Arneson hopes that their State title will attract more people to the program. “No matter what you show up there to do, as long as you have a positive attitude and have a good time, [you’ll] be fine because you can compete as seriously or casually as you want,” Arneson said.

The road to victory: Scholar Bowl clinches their first-ever state title one buzz at a time

Triya Gudipati, Editor-in-Chief • June 2, 2023

On May 6, seven West students traveled to the University of Missouri to compete in the MSHSAA Scholar Bowl State Championship. Ranging from freshmen to seniors, these members of the A-Team placed first...

Cafeteria staff members Edina Husic and Souria Benchabane smile and laugh as they wash the day's dishes. Parkway School District partnered with Chartwells for food service needs. “The camaraderie that we all have back there, it's like a big family. I think that's my favorite time for everybody,” West High chef Timothy Kennedy said.

Cafeteria confidential

Sophie McCarthy, Staff Writer • May 30, 2023

Lunch. The time of day that many students look forward to but never seems to come quickly enough. The appeal is strong: food after a long class period, eating with your friends and those crispy french...

Juniors Sarah Reifschneider and Jojo Shank crouch down on a patch of soil in the Peace Garden. Shank uses her hands to dig into the soil and prepares to plant.

Native plants and student enthusiasm bring life back to the Peace Garden

Anna Claywell, Staff Writer • May 11, 2023

Hands in the soil, shoveling and planting, students passionate about environmentalism helped to revitalize the Peace Garden. On May 3, the Environmental and Sunrise Clubs met to beautify the Peace Garden....

After being qualified for the VEX robotics world championship, members of the 5430 robotics team remain humble because of their drive to collaborate and express their ideas with each other. For sophomore and Blue Brains member Esther Young (center), being the newest addition of her team has allowed her to meet people that she shares interests with. It has also allowed her to meet some of the nicest people she has ever met. “Being on the team is very energizing. I know for a fact my team definitely wants to take home trophies, but we also wanted to be qualified for world. That basically just means performing super well — maybe an award, but the experience is good too,” Young said.

Beyond the bots

Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor • April 17, 2023

Gearing up all four robots in preparation for the big day, members of the robotics program boarded a 5 a.m. bus March 5 and set off for Jefferson City, Mo. Each team — the Blue Brains (5430A), END GAM3...

After hearing that the King of Hearts dance got canceled, Student Body President senior Esha Francis immediately turned her car around and returned to school in search of a solution. After staying in constant communication with the rest of the LoCo Executive Board, Francis met with Principal John McCabe to reinstate the dance. “This year, McCabe and our student council have been more in touch than in previous years. I feel like there's a greater trust there. He told us that he knows that we can do it and that we're capable. We've put things together last minute for our school before, and he knew that we could do it. McCabe and I have a good professional relationship, we have a better connection, and we're on the same page about a lot of things, so I don't always have to go to the local sponsors to get things done. It's great that I have a direct connection to him - we can get things done within a day,” Francis said.

Save the last dance

Triya Gudipati, Editor-in-Chief • January 20, 2023

On Monday, Jan. 9, freshmen parents received an email from the administration notifying them that the King of Hearts (KOH) dance would be canceled. KOH, a biennial winter dance thrown by Longhorn Council...

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