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
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...

Dressed and ready to create melodies, junior Andrew Son and senior Nathan Zhou prepare to play at the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association (SLSMEA) All-District Band concert. The concert, held at Kirkwood High School, was a journey that led them to the Missouri All-State Band. “Playing with my peers not only from our school but from other schools in the district amplifies not only the music but also the enjoyment and the passion,” Son said.

Students win honors at the 2023 Missouri All-State Band

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst • April 21, 2023

The All-State Band is an annual tradition featuring the top musicians at the high school level in the state of Missouri. Over 1,200 students auditioned for the 105-member 2023 All-State Band. A journey...

Parkway West Orchestra Students pose for a group picture outside the Grand Ole Opry. The Grand Ole Opry is an American country music stage that originally opened as a one-hour radio “barn dance” on WSM in 1925, and is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. “[Country music] is kind of a hit or miss for me,” junior Chloe Kallaos said, “I don’t like the beer, trucks, girls in tight jeans kind. But the woman destroy man country, I like that kind.”

A Stormy Trip to Nashville

Claire Creely, Staff Writer • April 20, 2023

Students rush out of buses to set up their music outside the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. As they assemble their stands, the wind rushes through, blowing their music all over. As some students attempt...

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...

Manning the check-in table with junior and fellow National Honors Society (NHS) member Rachel Livak, senior and President of NHS Nikita Bhaskar, prepare for more incoming blood donors. This was Bhaskar’s first time donating blood. “When I signed up, I was excited to be able to donate blood. But, the day of, I was getting more nervous as my time slot came. But, all the volunteers and my friends were supportive and keeping everyone distracted, so it was really easy [and] painless,” Bhaskar said.

A Blood Drive Not in Vein

Grace Loethen, Staff Writer • April 13, 2023

With Bad Blood by Taylor Swift playing from English teacher Erin Fluchel’s blood playlist, about 63 students and a few adults lined up to donate blood. Students were patient as they awaited their turn...

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