As the final buzzer echoed throughout the pool arena, junior Jenna Rickelman fixes her eyes on her opponents as they launch the ball. With her quick reflexes, she deflected the ball from entering the goal....
This weekend, Parkway West said its final goodbye to the class of 2024. From entering high school as confused teenagers, navigating education through Zoom boxes and online learning, to exiting as mature,...
Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor
• May 18, 2024
Taking a step into the seniors’ next chapter in life, the class of 2024 winds down after four long and eventful years of high school, reminiscing their memories at graduation. One long-standing, memorable...
Disclaimer: This article mentions abortion, sexual assault, incest and abuse
On Feb. 7, Missouri senators voted against an amendment that would allow the abortions in cases of rape and incest. This...
On the second Sunday in May of every year, families gather to celebrate the strong women who brought children into the world and tended to the development of the next generation. This year on May 12, Mother’s...
Emily Early
I began Convergence Journalism 1 as a freshman on a Zoom call. It feels like a lifetime ago. Sitting next to my mom in my dining room, I remember feeling so scared and so small in such a...
Spring into haircare products
Dream Coat Supernatural Spray by Color Wow — $28
This anti-frizz hair care product, formulated by hairstylist Chris Appleton — famed for his work, particularly...
This spring, senior Soren Frederick was one of 34 artists whose work was selected to be featured at the Missouri Capitol for the Missouri Senate Student Arts Exhibit. Founded in 2014 by the Missouri Alliance...
The first school shooting in America of 2024 took place in Iowa on January 4, totaling one death and seven injuries. I was in journalism class when I got the notification from The New York Times. And that...
![With her arms held high, junior Jenna Rickelman throws the ball across the pool during a girls water polo practice. With hours of practice after school and over the summer, Rickelman saw many improvements in her water polo skills. “When I look at [my] stats, I'm so much better than I was last year,” Rickelman said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Untitled-design-2-.png)
![With a keen eye for detail, senior Natalie Lashly writes her signature onto the senior hand wall. After some encouragement from her friends, Lashly applied to make the hand wall with her Lorax-inspired design. "I thought the [bright] colors would be fun. Our quote on the wall is 'Let us grow,’ based on the 'Let it grow' song [from the movie]. [I was hoping that the design would] make the cafeteria feel more exciting," Lashly said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0099-1200x801.jpg)
![Since the Supreme Court’s repeal of the federal law protecting a women’s fundamental right to abortion, many states have begun to restrict access to or even ban abortion. On June 24th, 2022, Missouri was one of many states to move to ban abortion. “Missouri is giving fetuses more rights than humans who’ve been on this world for many years. If someone [wants] to have an abortion because of whatever [reason], it should be their choice. You don't know why they're in that position and you don't know why they need an abortion,” senior Mars Allendorph said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bang-1.png)
![Company marketing for gifts and cards during Mother’s Day and Father’s Day depicts the differences associated with the holidays. In order to capitalize on profit, large companies often include stereotype-reinforcing marketing behind parental celebration products: Mother’s Day sales typically prioritize jewelry and clothing, complete with heartfelt messages about childcare, while Father’s Day gifts tend to illustrate the father in a less serious, paternal light. “In terms of emails around those holidays, I typically get more Mother's Day [marketing] from florists or from whatever places I've shopped at online. I tend to see more in terms of advertising and marketing,” English teacher Casey Holland said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Untitled-design-11.png)
![Envisioning a cathedral in his mind, senior Soren Frederick puts pencil to paper and practices a rough sketch in the drawing room. Frederick grew up surrounded by a family of artists who helped him realize his passion for drawing and painting as he matured. “My family [is] very much [an inspiration] for drawing and painting. [Art] didn’t start [in the family] with me; it started with my mom and my older sister, and my older brother is very good at drawing [too],” Frederick said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0017-1200x800.jpg)
![Frequent school shootings across the United States and subsequent lack of action have led to a chronic state of fear for many students. Recent mass shootings in schools created a new risk for students. “I’m constantly anxious about school shootings. The idea that it could happen and the prevalence of [school shootings in America] is scary. Whenever alarms go off in the school, I fear that [a shooting] might happen,” senior Carlee Priem said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Add-a-heading-27.png)
