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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

Homecoming on tour

Homecoming on tour

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief September 16, 2022

It’s that time of year again — homecoming. Students are planning their outfits, picking their dresses and preparing for another great season. Longhorn Council has been working overtime to bring you...

Explaining how to request high school transcripts for the college application, college counselor Chris Lorenz leads a senior class meeting for English teacher Diana Lurkins’ AP Literature class. West High transitioned the counseling department to create a single college counselor, following in the footsteps of the other four Parkway high schools. “I love working with high school [students], coming of age, moving from being a child to an adult. I’m helping individuals through that transition, which encompasses an understanding of themselves and  their passions are as they leave high school and go off to do bigger and better things,” Lorenz said.

Counseling department shifts gears

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief September 13, 2022

Common App. Essay Writing. ACT Optional. Applying to the college of your dreams can span months. Students don’t have to figure out this world alone. Counselors are readily available.  Dedicated to...

English teacher Erin Fluchel places Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” back on her bookshelf. While some staff members were concerned it might cause legal troubles because it contains a sketch of a naked woman’s chest, the district ultimately determined it was not offensive. “Some of these pieces are really powerful, important pieces of dystopian literature that deserve to stay. I think [the book] provides students with a different perspective that kids should be able to access,” Fluchel said.

New Missouri law bans schools from providing “explicit sexual content”

Audrey Ghosh, Opinions Editor August 30, 2022

On account of a new Missouri law, school librarians and teachers have removed certain content from the bookshelves that was previously available to students. Passed Aug. 28, Senate Bill 775 modifies state...

Juniors Ben Livak and Emily McClurg sit on the track after the fire alarm went off. Because class had not yet started, students gathered on the football field in groups with friends. “I had to make sure I grabbed all my stuff because I didn’t know what was gonna happen. Class hadn’t even started [when] we started heading outside,” Livak said. “[The process of being led back] was actually really smooth. I saw a little confusion with people trying to go different directions, but [teachers] got it under control.”

Wake up call

Pathfinder Editorial Board August 26, 2022

A fire alarm blares through the school hallways at 7:27 a.m. Students rush to grab their bags, belongings and friends. Hurried steps guide them through building doors. Assistant Principal Kate Piffel directs...

The Save Women's Sports Act is a bill proposed to ban transgender women from competing in sports from middle school to college. Ten states have already enacted similar policies, Missouri becoming the 11th on August 28.

Save Women’s Sports Act changes the game for Missouri’s trans athletes

Triya Gudipati, Editor-in-Chief June 2, 2022

Save Women’s Sports, a term coined by those who oppose transgender women competing in women’s sports is becoming law. On March 2, State Senator Mike Moon of the 29th Senatorial District proposed the...

Senior Joseph Denklau and juniors Derrien Gatchel and Matt Freedman stand in front of the Olympic Rings in Olympic Park. They stayed in the Atlanta, Ga.'s heart, allowing them to attend a variety of local events and visit tourist attractions. “We walked everywhere. We started the first night walking 1.5 miles to Waffle House because Matt put in the wrong location for our order. It sounds like an inconvenience, but honestly, that showed us where everything around the city was since it’s all relatively close together. It set off the trip with a good feel of the city,” Gatchel said.

Welcome to Atlanta, DECA Internationals

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer June 2, 2022

After placing in the top five in their sectors at Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) State, juniors Derrien Gatchel and Matt Freedman and senior Joseph Denklau traveled to Atlanta, Ga., to...


Board member-elect Tiffany Mapp Franklin was recently voted onto the school board as a replacement for Kristy Klein Davis. Davis was offered a job transfer in Florida and had to resign from her position. “I have been asked to run for the past two years, and I was considering it, but I also [was involved] with other activities that took a lot of time, so it wasn’t an ideal moment to run. When this vacancy occurred, it seemed like it was at the right time,” Franklin said.

Meet your new Parkway Board of Education member: Tiffany Mapp Franklin

Elizabeth Franklin and Achyuta Ambal May 31, 2022

Parkway Board of Education member Kristy Klein Davis will officially be resigning June 3 due to a new job opportunity. The Board followed a transparent process of interviewing the candidates who applied...

Students say farewell to Dr. Mitchell

Students say farewell to Dr. Mitchell

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2022

In response to principal Jeremy Mitchell's retirement, students thank Mitchell for their memories in high school. Additionally, students talk about lessons that they have learned from Mitchell.

Junior Aidan Ryan pretends to have a severed arm as a part of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) disaster training simulations. The simulation’s goal was to test the volunteers’ ability to handle challenging injuries while minimizing mental trauma. “It was funny for me because I got to act panicked and really in shock. It was awesome having the trainees come over and absolutely panic at my situation. I liked having that injury and seeing the whole chaos unfold,” Ryan said.

Theater students help disaster response team with CERT training

Sarah Boland, Staff Writer May 26, 2022

Leaving a smear of fake blood behind her, junior Nicole Schade is thrown against a whiteboard. Schade volunteered in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program as she acted out an injury. CERT...

Visitors enter the building and check-in at the front desk. School policy required photo identification to be let in. “I'm beside myself this morning. What does someone like myself even do? We can vote the way we think we need to, and we can push people to make the right decisions, but the people above us that make the laws are going to have to stop just talking about it and do something; that is the bottom line,” mathematics and Computer Science teacher Jason Townsend said.

Community reflects on importance of school safety following a deadly shooting

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 25, 2022

On May 24, 2022, an 18-year-old opened fire on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen students, two adults and the gunman were confirmed dead. Hospital workers are treating multiple other students...