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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

The Longhorn Council’s Creative Coordinator and sophomore Emme Douglas takes part in the planning and organization of a LOCO activity, Trunk or Treat, on Oct. 29. “I'm a creative coordinator, so I do a lot with flyers and banners. I'm in charge of creating the spirit sashes and doing the footballs for powder puff and homecoming week,” Douglas said.

Connecting for change: Making West High a better place

Pathfinder Editorial Board May 31, 2025

The fundamental principle of popular sovereignty states that the power of the government comes from the people一 the constituents of the United States. This principle also applies to student governments,...

Junior Fiona Dye lifts weights in Strength and Conditioning. Now that the Trump administration has instituted policies such as AI deregulation, tariffs and university funding freezes, women may have to work twice as hard to get half as far. "[Trump] wants America to be more divided; he wants to inspire hatred in people,” feminist club member and junior Clara Lazarini said.

Is the future female?

Will Gonsior, Opinions/A&E Editor May 31, 2025

The United States has had a long, winding path toward gender equality. Progress in closing our nation’s stubborn gender wage gap has slowed, but it recently seemed to be only a matter of time until we...

As the Trump administration cracks down on immigration, it scapegoats many immigrants for the United States’ plights, precipitating a possible genocide. Sophomore Annabella Whiteley moved from the United Kingdom when she was eight. “It’s pretty scary because I’m on a visa. When my visa expires next year, I’m not sure what’s going to happen, especially with [immigration] policies up in the air, so it is a concern for my family,” Whiteley said.

E pluribus unum?

Sage Kelly, Staff Writer May 28, 2025

I spent March 29 watching “Schindler’s List,” a movie directed by Steven Spielberg. It follows entrepreneur Oskar Schindler as he navigates the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and attempts to profit off...

Shifting global trade, President Donald Trump’s tariffs are raising concerns about economic stability for the U.S. and other countries alike. “[The tariffs are] going to pose a distinct challenge to the U.S. economy and a challenge to the global economy on the whole because it's going to greatly upset who trades with who and where resources and products are going to come from,” social studies teacher Melvin Trotier said.

The cost of ‘America First’

Yein Ahn, News Editor May 27, 2025

Check your receipts, the rising prices of groceries and clothes are no accident. Behind every price increase are President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, policies that are rewriting the rules of international...

On May 3 at the Hilton DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, Mo., seniors Emily Kate Beach and Jack Mullen celebrate together after being crowned Prom Queen and King. Prom court nominations were announced to the school via Instagram on Apr. 22. “We got an email from Taggart that we were on court, and then all the people on court started texting each other ‘good luck,’” Mullen said.

Crowned: A look at your 2025 Prom King and Queen

Payton Dean, Staff Writer May 8, 2025

Sitting in front of a sea of peers dressed in flowing gowns and perfectly-tailored suits, the eight members of the senior prom court wait patiently to see who will represent their grade as Prom King and...

Pitching the ball on Apr. 14, senior Henry Wild and his team play against Belleville East. Wild was named scholar athlete of the year by St. Louis Post-Dispatch after maintaining a high cumulative GPA and staying involved with athletics for all of high school. “It’s an amazing honor. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to represent my school [and] what [it] stands for,” Wild said.

Driven to excel

Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor May 5, 2025

Every year, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recognizes a group of students attending high schools all over St. Louis based on their prestige in academics and athletics. This year, senior Henry Wild was chosen...

Red, white and blue, the American flag holds the values of our democracy. The fight that we once endured has returned, as student journalists and senior correspondents across the country are losing their voices due to government control. “[Are] the White House and [the] government limiting free speech [and] freedom of the press? Yes [they are],” chief communications officer of the Parkway School District and former journalist Elisa Tomich said.

The fight for the first: Protecting journalists across the country

Parkway West Editorial Board March 31, 2025

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” Jefferson’s words still ring true 一 today, as press freedom in the...

Freezing in their position, the Addams Family cast hits the “rigor mortis” pose after cast member and senior Jack Mullen, in character as Gomez Addams, calls out the stiff death move. For the past four months, the combined company of cast members, orchestra pit, crew and directors all worked to create the familial chemistry of the show. “I’m excited for [the audience] to see the numbers, the music, the scenes, but I also just love all the technical aspects of it. The whole spectacle, the costumes, makeup and the people that put in the work backstage in order to make the show successful on stage. I’m excited for people to see and appreciate that,” Mullen said.

Rigor mortis!

Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor March 7, 2025

Snapping their fingers underneath the dim stage lights, the Addams family will make their stage debut on March 7 through March 9. “The Addams Family Musical: High School Edition” will tell the story...

A board in the Parkway West counseling department displays pennants of selective universities. With a wide range of students interested in attending, it’s important that these schools have clear priorities when deciding who to admit. “[Washington University] had the major that I wanted, psychology, philosophy, neuroscience. That's a holistic study of the brain, and [WashU is] the only college in the world that offers that. That's the main reason I wanted to go; I got into that program,” senior Dima Layth said.

Through the looking-glass

Pathfinder Editorial Board February 28, 2025

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s UNC/Harvard decision to overturn the use of race-conscious affirmative action policies in college recruiting, many have bemoaned the end of what was seen as a panacea...

Sitting courtside and observing the game, basketball coach Rich Rogers tries to help his team win in any way he can. Rogers has coached all levels of basketball at Parkway West for over 57 years and still has maintained a constant level of dedication and focus throughout his career. “If you're going to play basketball, you have to be willing to work as hard as possible and be ready for things to go wrong,” Rogers said.

A legacy of leadership and excellence in sports

Owen Ulmer, Staff Writer February 18, 2025

57 years ago, Parkway West opened, but there has been one constant figure in it other than the building: basketball coach Rich Rogers. Coaching for so long takes commitment and passion for the game, making...