Since the pandemic began in March 2020, we have all anxiously awaited a return to any semblance of normalcy. “Getting back to normal” is a phrase that has been exhausted in conversation, a goal that...
The Pathfinder student newspaper began in 1968—the year Parkway West opened its doors to the students of West County. Throughout our history, the paper has written about plenty of controversial topics....
Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• February 23, 2022
After a 28 year long career in education, including 12 years as head principal, Dr. Jeremy Mitchell announced his plans to retire in July. Read on to learn more about his journey and his contributions...
What began as a family legacy continued with junior Joseph Britt as he geared up for the ice in seventh grade. Britt is the third generation to take the ice as a speed skater, following in his grandmother’s...
Growing up under the influence of diet culture was a base for freshman Alexis Briner’s healthy lifestyle to become harmful. In the summer of 2019, innocent thoughts to have smaller portions of food ultimately...
Bones ache from sleeping on the hard street, stomachs growl from lack of food and cars honk as they pass by the six and 8-year-old Sayle —now Araya — siblings. Cold days turn into even colder nights,...
This month, the Pathfinder will be collecting housing move-in supplies to support the unhoused population in St. Louis. In our January Editorial, we advocated for maintaining a ‘holiday spirit’ year...
Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief
• February 11, 2022
Jan. 18, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released a public statement addressing mask mandates in school. Preceding this statement, Schmitt had announced 36 different school districts he planned...
Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• February 10, 2022
After countless double scheduled club meetings and a lack of student attendance accountability during the first semester, Ac Lab schedule will now take place through Infinite Campus. Club meetings will...
![Surrounded by a cooler, a basket and a piano bench, freshman Matt Willock holds a NASCAR tire filled with his school supplies. As a part of spirit week, students were encouraged on Wednesday to bring in “anything but a backpack,” to carry their belongings around in for the day.
“I feel like the whole NASCAR tire idea was like a statement of my personality. [My dad] was the one that originally kind of gave me the idea to do it. It's been sitting in my room for a little bit and we were looking for stuff to use,” Willock said. “I feel like since this was kind of the first time [for ‘anything but a backpack day’], we were working out what's good to bring, but I feel like if we do it next year, it'll be a lot better. There'll be a lot more variety to what people bring.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/DSC_3568-900x600.jpg)
![Principal Jeremy Mitchell sits in his homecoming float and waves to the students lined on the sidewalk for the homecoming parade. During homecoming week, he enjoyed getting to build connections with students. “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to work for,” Athletic Director Brian Kessler said. “[He] pulled off homecoming, [when] nobody knew what it was going to look like. It happened, it was great, it was beautiful, and [students] loved it.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_0579-900x600.jpg)
![Competing at the Gateway meet at the Kirkwood ice rink, junior Joseph Britt finishes first in the 1000m race. “I enjoyed winning, but it was mostly about just how hard I push myself [to] break personal records,” Britt said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/image1-6-900x626.jpg)
![Celebrating her journey, freshman Alexis Briner beams brightly with her family. Briner appreciates her parents greatly for their support during her journey with anorexia. “I was still in the depths of [the eating disorder] around the holidays. So there were a lot of meals and I remember I kind of panicked at a few of those. And so I would have to take time out and sometimes we'd have to leave the parties early. And then my parents would be upset because it was very time consuming, [but] they were troopers,” Briner said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/briner-feat-900x705.jpg)
![Junior Shaleigh Araya (front row, far left) poses with her adoptive family for a picture in 2019. Araya said she owes her success to her family and faith. “God has really helped me in life,” Araya said. “That’s the number one thing I [attribute] to my success. Next comes [the support] of my family and friends.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG-1923.jpg)
