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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

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...

A picture of the Arch in downtown St. Louis. Officially opened in 1965, the Gateway Arch is St. Louis’s most well-known landmark and described as the “Gateway to the West.”

Beyond the statistics

Elizabeth Franklin, Editor-in-Chief May 24, 2022

I grew up in the city of St. Louis until I was 11. I lived in the Old North neighborhood, a neighborhood particularly known for its community gardens and the famous Crown Candy kitchen. I would ride my...

Senior Bryce Drake winds up at one of his last at bats before the District finals. The boys closed off the season with a 22-6 record. “It was a great season to call my last and we all improved so much. Going out against south was hard to take, but we gave it our all and I see great things in the future for this team. We had great team chemistry and I’m so thankful for my four years with these players,” Drake said.

Photo of the Week – May 20

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer May 20, 2022

Wearing a bright smile, custodian Sean Smith sits on a bench greeting students in the morning. Smith believed that if the first thing students see when they enter the school is someone saying good morning, it will make their day that much better. “Now, if you're walking up that walkway with an attitude, I want [you] to see a cheery face that says ‘hey, I'm glad to see you,’” Smith said.

More than a custodian

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief May 20, 2022

A loving husband. An affectionate grandpa. An attentive dad. A devout Christian. A friend to all staff and students. Like all the behind-the-scenes staff, Sean Smith is more than just a custodian. Smith...

There are hundreds of labels within the LGBTQ community, much lacking proper representation.

Labeled

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 17, 2022

Tired eyes absorb the blue light of my phone as my mind becomes jumbled, crafting a mental Venn diagram of labels. Overlapping, colliding, adding, erasing. This Venn diagram symbolized a world of possibilities...

A graphic of the 2021-22 senior staff for the Pathfinder.

Class of 2022 seniors reflect on high school experiences

Pathfinder Editorial Board May 13, 2022

It’s safe to say our high school experience was like no other. We lived through a pandemic, political chaos and national racial movements. Amid these times, we were lucky enough to have a semblance of...

These top six companies control 90% of the media in the United States.

The Big Six’s big media game

Mira Nalbandian, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 9, 2022

Just 37 years ago, there were 50 companies in charge of most American media. Now, 90% of the media in the United States is controlled by just six corporations: AT&T, CBS, Comcast, Disney, Newscorp...

Freshman Triya Gudipati poses for a photo at an Indian wedding. With Indians making up the largest foreign-born population in the United States, Gudipati finds it important to bond with others in her community. “The Indian community within St. Louis helps me form bonds with other people who have similar situations that I do,” Gudipati said.

Children of immigrant parents share their experiences

Leah Schroeder, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 6, 2022

As the 2:30 p.m. bell tolls, students rush out of classrooms and parking lots, eager to return home. Each student comes from the same school but arrives home to extremely different lives, from values to...

Racing to the ball, freshman Molly Bailey and her opponent swim without hesitation. Bailey joined water polo for the first time this year, and although the sport has proven to be difficult, she has persisted. “Water polo is a sport that has pushed me physically. At the start of the season, I asked myself why I was there and why I decided to sign up for it in the first place,” Bailey said. “But as the season progressed, something about the sport kept me wanting to play more and more. I love the people, the competition and the game.”

A new beginning for female water polo

Sabrina Urdaneta, Staff Writer May 5, 2022

From 2018 to 2019, boy's water polo participation has risen by 8.8%, while girl's water polo participation across the country has seen an 18% increase. Team captains Taylor Johnson and Thalea Afentoullis...

A leaked initial draft of the Supreme Court of the United States' majority opinion included a call to overturn 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade. Image used under Creative Commons Licenses.

BREAKING: Student responses to SCOTUS leak on possible Roe v. Wade overturn

Pathfinder Editorial Board May 4, 2022

CONTENT WARNING: The following article mentions abortion, sex, rape, sexual assault and incest due to the nature of the topic. Monday, May 2, at 8:32 p.m., POLITICO released an initial draft of the...