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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

In an article for The Atlantic on Dec. 6, 2022, just one week after ChatGPT’s release date, Canadian author Stephen Marche proclaimed that “the college essay is dead” and that “no one is prepared for how AI will transform academia.” Since then, the news has seen an enormous influx of different people—everyone from professors and computer scientists to average citizens—giving their input on what artificial intelligence means for academia and for the world.

Is this “the death of academia?”

Samir Shaik, Multimedia Editor-in-Chief February 7, 2023

As the keyboard clicks and the screen flickers to life, a sense of anticipation fills the air. The hum of the computer and the soft whir of the fans provide a background soundtrack to the task at hand....

Peeling off her gloves after examining a healthy lung compared to the lung of a smoker, junior Ione Cornelius explores  High School Heroes training. High School Heroes is an organization that teaches middle school students about drug prevention that focuses on the dangers of e-cigarettes, marijuana and CBD. “When I was in sixth grade I thought [High School Heroes] was really fun and interesting. I learned a lot from it and looked up to the high schoolers who taught me. [I knew] I wanted to do that one day,” Cornelius said.

Photo of the Week – Feb 3

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief February 3, 2023

Lawmakers in Missouri voted to update the dress code exclusively for women Jan. 11. The new bill requires women’s arms to be covered by a blazer, cardigan or knit blazer. “There’s a lot of cost to purchasing new clothes. If you must wear a long-sleeved blazer or something over a short-sleeved outfit, that is a huge cost to be considered; It requires women to change what’s already [in their wardrobe]. This bill requires female members to take an extra step because not all business-casual clothing for women is made in long sleeves,” social studies teacher Rachel Money said.

The battle between feminism and equality

Audrey Ghosh and Emily Early February 2, 2023

The Missouri House of Representatives recently updated its dress code in a 105-51 decision, requiring female legislators to cover their arms with a jacket, cardigan or knit blazer. Mainstream media quickly...

Eyes to the sky, junior Romy Taylor stands center stage in the evening gown section of the 2023 Miss Missouri Teen Volunteer Pageant. Taylor received compliments from judges and the audience for her walk, a skill she believes this section allows contestants to flaunt. “[Walking on stage in a gown] shows how much grace someone can carry. I absolutely love it when I get to show it off on stage,” Taylor said.

The beauty behind the madness

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer January 30, 2023

Under the spotlight, junior Romy Taylor highlights her character, dancing, fitness and fashion in the 2023 Miss Missouri Teen Volunteer (MMTV) Pageant. Pageants have been a passion of Taylor’s for nine...

Freshman Clara DAquino Lazarini cuts out pieces of a magazine to make a vision board in her Fashion Apparel and Housing Design class. Following a recommendation from her sister, senior Luisa DAquino Lazarini, Clara was thrilled to start the class at the beginning of the semester, looking forward to having an elective class where she can learn, grow and be creative with her friends. “I am a more creative person, but sometimes it is hard to be creative. I like getting to sit around and explore. Fashion is one of those things I like to explore and get to know more [about]. I think [the class] is very fun because we get to create [our] own things,” Clara said.

Photo of the Week – Jan 27

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief January 27, 2023

A pile of Advanced Placement (AP) study books sit on a library desk. When taking AP classes, many students sacrifice other areas of their lives to keep their grades up. “It's not the fact that I am taking an AP class. I am spending more time doing the work for school than I would spend time with friends and family,” senior Noah Schell said. “It is a sacrifice I made and realized after signing up for the classes. Over the years, I have devised a system of managing my time, which sometimes means I don’t get all of the work done.”

Balancing brain power: the need to prioritize mental health over AP classes

Pathfinder Editorial Board January 19, 2023

In 2022, 424 Parkway West students took 801 Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, meaning that most took two or more tests, and over a third of the student population enrolled in an AP class. Because course...

Practicing paddling backward, senior Trenton Caton talks with his friends, Jackson Larson, Tristan Wistuba and Braxton Eddy, about their favorite memories in the class. Caton favored the Scuba unit and spending time underwater, but he also liked kayaking because he got to play water polo after they were done with the lessons. “For vacation, we would go down to Michigan, and we would do a lot of kayaking there,” Caton said. “I started kayaking in fourth grade, so I have a lot of personal experience with it.”

Photo of the Week – Jan 13

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief January 13, 2023

On Oct. 14, West High parents received an email that notified them of a potential safety concern from the Chesterfield Police Department. In the subsequent weeks, repeated incidents of a shooter being near or on school grounds have caused the area to be on high alert. “It’s unfortunate to think I am not alone in feeling numb. We have been exposed to so much violence towards schools,” social studies teacher Kevin Doherty said. “I feel shame it took something so close to home to really open up my eyes to the extent to which this barbarity has spread.”

Guns and schools: a deep dive into America’s broken system

Audrey Ghosh, Opinions Editor January 11, 2023

Content warning: This article mentions gun violence, school shootings and death.   Just 20 miles away from Parkway West, teacher Jean Kuczka and 15-year-old Alexzandria Bell were killed in the...

Sophomore Lila Hartle poses before a dance recital in 2021. While Hartle’s eating disorder diagnosis prevented her from dancing, it motivated her to improve. “I wanted to continue dance as a career, and I knew that I had to stay healthy so that I wouldn’t end up hurting myself more,” Hartle said.

Problems, passion, perseverance

Nidhi Pejathaya, Staff Writer January 11, 2023

Eating disorders are commonly associated with body dysmorphia issues; however, for sophomore Lila Hartle, that was not the case. What started as a small loss of appetite quickly escalated. Her eating disorder...

Although society is reaching an all-time high for mental health awareness, celebrities are still facing heavy scrutiny about what they depict in their art, particularly surrounding mental health. Musical artist Taylor Swift received backlash for her display of body dysmorphia in her “Anti-Hero” music video. “There’s a difference between saying being fat is bad and saying you have [an] eating disorder that you’re constantly battling,” Swift fan @expiredthrills said on Twitter.

Taylor Swift silenced from “Speaking Now” about her experience with body dysmorphia

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief January 4, 2023

The camera pans across a bathroom wall as musical artist Taylor Swift looks down as she stands on the scale. Zooming in, we discover that the scale reads “FAT.” Fans and critics collectively booed...