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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

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.

Let us grow

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...

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.

Revoked: The life-or-death nature of abortion rights

Lauren Holcomb, Staff Writer May 14, 2024

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...

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.

One month apart, 60 years behind

Risa Cidoni, Editor-in-Chief May 13, 2024

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...

As seniors complete their final assignments, tests and work of the school year, they reflect on their time in Convergence Journalism.

Seniors signing off

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...

With spring blossoming and hundreds of beauty products on the market, picking products for your needs can be a daunting process. But spring is the perfect opportunity to experiment with hair care and makeup products, marking a transformation into the new season.

In full bloom

Lia Emry, Staff Writer May 7, 2024

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...

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.

“Reflections” of talent

Emily Early and Samir Shaik May 2, 2024

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...

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.

Columbine: The smoking gun of our government’s incompetence

Lauren Holcomb, Staff Writer May 2, 2024

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...

At the Spring Pep Rally on March 8, boys varsity water poloist and junior Jack Brau stands with the boys water polo team. The group, hoping to include everyone — whether boy or girl, varsity or JV — cheered on the girls water polo team during the sports team runouts. “Even though we all play separate games and have different practices, we like to see ourselves as one big group who represent one water polo [team],” Brau said.

Our team, our sports

Yein Ahn, News Editor April 10, 2024

The Super Bowl. March Madness. The 2024 Olympics. This time of the year is exciting for many Americans as various sports events take place across the country and the world. During this time, die-hard sports...

Across the United States, state Congresses have seen an uptick in bills aiming to further particular political ideologies in the classrooms, which raises concerns about the place of political battles within classrooms. In Dec. 2023, Francis Howell School District’s School Board in St. Charles County voted to pull two elective courses centered around Black history from the curriculum, later stating that the courses could possibly return if they adhered to the board’s definition of “politically neutral.” The case of Francis Howell School District and their rescinding of legitimate classes centered around topics of political interest is just another example of thinly-veiled censorship that has become increasingly popular throughout the country within the past half-decade.

Classrooms should not be political battlefields

Pathfinder Editorial Board March 31, 2024

Parkway was recently placed in the hot seat when Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sent a cease and desist accusing the district of religious discrimination. The letter claimed that Parkway prohibited...