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
Tom Herpel uses his plan time to prepare for future Latin classes in which students learn grammar, literature, and culture. Herpel wanted to avoid jumping to conclusions about the upcoming changes to reduce teacher plan time. “I will not know the type of time crunch I will be under until I've experienced it. I might be able to get work done while I'm doing this other responsibility. I hesitate to make assumptions without having experienced it myself,” Herpel said.

Teachers speak out as Parkway School District implements a 190-minute reduction to teacher plan time

Ruthvi Tadakamalla, Editor-In-Chief • June 2, 2023

Think of everything a teacher needs to do to prepare for class. A student might come into class and start their work immediately, but a teacher needs to spend hours planning and preparing to ensure learning...

Smiling, freshman Sophia Nguyen poses with her artwork accepted into the Botanical Garden’s art exhibit. Nguyen scrapped and redid her artwork multiple times before settling on the final piece she submitted. “My art style is impacted by my friend and the styles of video games I like. I like their styles and try replicating them sometimes,” Nguyen said.

Botanical brushstrokes

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer • June 1, 2023

In the middle of the Botanical Garden’s newest art exhibition stands two familiar pieces. Freshmen Sofia Nguyen and Madison Wilson’s works of art were selected for the exhibition over hundreds of submissions...

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...

Jogging on a treadmill, sophomore Emily Kate Beach works out at Planet Fitness. Beach plans to continue her fitness journey before basketball season. “I felt more productive and confident after going to the gym. Even a little workout was better than no workout,” Beach said.

Judgment-free, stress-free and fee-free

Cindy Phung, Editor-in-Chief • May 26, 2023

Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month — occurring every May — acknowledges millions of Americans affected by mental illness. In 2021, the Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Survey”...

DECA students (left) stand shoulder to shoulder, wearing their blazers. Meanwhile, band students (center) pose before “The Bean”and journalism students (right) show off an award from their conference in San Francisco. “It was a lot of fun because we were a small group, which meant we had a lot of say in decisions of where we eat and go to do stuff,” junior and DECA competitor Suraiya Saroar said. (graphic made by Claire Creely, photo by Kelly Kennedy [left], photo by Lacy Roberts [middle], and photo by Debra Klevens [right])

Conventions, competitions and clinics

Claire Creely, Staff Writer • May 26, 2023

Over the past few weeks, students have traveled all over the country. Distributive Education Club of America (DECA) students went to Orlando, Fla. to compete in the DECA International Career Development...

Seniors Grace Fotheringham, Kelsea Wilson, Luisa DAquino Lazarini and Ibrahim Hacking pose together after attending Parkway’s Educators’ Signing Night. Students were encouraged to invite family, friends and teachers to watch. “Signing days are cute, and I never committed to a sport, so I never really thought I would have the opportunity. I’m excited that I [got] to be a part of a signing day for education. On signing night, it was wholesome to see everyone’s future plans and invite my family and teachers. It made me realize how important teaching is and how we need more teachers,” Wilson said.

Fueling the future of education

Lia Emry, Staff Writer • May 19, 2023
When you think of signing day, you probably picture athletes committing to sports, but Spark! is changing that idea one student at a time.
Empowered and ready to equip peers with tools to make healthy choices, juniors Krish Bhagat, Kylie Secrest and Andre Neal, and sophomores Jacob Burch, Sienna Lorenz, Maddy Tarter and McKinlay Loveless, pose for a picture after training at Parkway's Welcome Center. Attendees are PATH (Parkway Peers Advocating for Total Health) heroes who received half a day of training for NOW n L8R, a program conducted by high school students to teach eighth-grade students the value of making healthy decisions. “During training, we sign a Code of Conduct and serve as role models among our peers, for younger students and in the community. We learn to teach the eighth graders to avoid harmful substances and make good decisions throughout their high school career,” Burch said.

Lethally Laced: How can students help stop the fentanyl crisis?

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst • May 17, 2023

On April 11, the White House called on Congress to make a historic investment of $46.1 billion for National Drug Control Program (ONDCP) agencies to counter the rapidly growing fentanyl crisis through...

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....

Grinning, senior Addie Gleason and the president of Battle of the Books team, senior Elle Rotter holds up the trophy after winning. Rotter also competed last year, one of three returning members. “When I was holding the trophy, I saw it as a moment of reflection. We won for the first time, but it also gave me a moment to reflect on the friendships that I've made through this club. There's a lot of people I don't think I would have ever become friends with if I didn't meet them through book club,” Rotter said.

Winning Battle of the Books — It was bound to happen

Grace Loethen, Staff Writer • May 2, 2023

Sitting around tables in the library, the Battle of the Books (BOTB) teams from all four Parkway schools and Rockwood Summit compete for a two-foot-tall trophy and the title of that year’s Battle of...

Applying epoxy to a broken car bumper, freshman Ruthvi Tadakamalla assists a Southern Technical (South Tech) student in the Auto Collision Repair program. Forty freshmen registered to tour the campus and participate in hands-on experiences to give them a taste of South Tech programs. “I learned that there [are] other careers I could do besides pre-med. Before I went, I wasn't thinking that I might like them, but I did like doing a lot of the things that we did,” Tadakamalla said.

A Look Inside South Tech

Grace Loethen, Staff Writer • April 26, 2023

Windshield wipers, car bumpers and car paints of various colors adorn the Auto Collision Repair room, one of the many rooms on the Southern Technical (South Tech) campus where high schoolers from all over...

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