Skip to Main Content
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

Blowing into his trumpet, senior and trumpet section leader Karl Oswald practices his instrument outdoors at band rehearsal. Band has resumed rehearsals with restrictions put in place to adhere to social distancing guidelines. “One big limitation is that all of our rehearsals have to be monitored very carefully. That means I can't just pick a random day of the week for the trumpet section and myself to come together and rehearse; everything needs to be very planned out,” Oswald said. “This year, I'm looking forward to having an opportunity to play music in person with people I care about and [perform] my solo.”

Photo of the week- Sept. 8

Ulaa Kuziez, News and Sports Editor September 11, 2020

Cheering each other on, freshmen Cora Tiemieir and Ashley Lewenski use a unique way to celebrate. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the girls were not allowed to partake in high fives or fist bumps. "We like to 'foot-five' whenever we do good," Lewenski said. "We're excited to be here and hype each other up."

Photo of the Week- Aug. 31

Michael Lolley, Staff Writer August 31, 2020

A collage displays students preparing for the first day of school. Parkway began the school year with districtwide virtual instruction upon implementing its ‘Plan C’ for reopening. “I felt slightly nervous before the day started because I didn't know how well our internet would hold up. The thing that scares me the most is that I will never know if the internet will stay up the whole day or if it will go down,” junior Aliana Sawall said. “This experience overall has taught me that I will have to have more patience than usual because this is new to everyone, including teachers.”

Photo of the week – Aug. 24

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 28, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit communities worldwide, regular summer plans were put on hold. Amongst our community, students wrestled with breaking the spell of boredom while also adhering to national safety guidelines that are still in place. Students were left to figure out alternative ways to enjoy their summer break.

Summer Plan B Story

Lilly Francis, Staff Writer August 25, 2020

Walking down Baxter Road towards Parkway West Middle School, members of the St. Louis community take part in the Parkway Black Lives Matter walk. Participants kneeled at the end of the walk for eight minutes and 46 seconds to honor George Floyd and all those lost to racism and hate. “It was a wake up call. It was really reassuring to see the outcome and how many people came out to support the cause,” sophomore Lauren McLeod said. “I think that it brought attention to a lot of the racial injustice that often gets swept under the rug, and overall, I think it was one of the beginning steps to a long journey of getting racial equity in schools.”

Black Lives Matter and how we can create change

Lilly Francis, Staff Writer August 17, 2020

As the news and social media booms with awareness and activism towards the Black Lives Matter movement, communities across the country are taking steps to support the ongoing fight against racism.  “I...

Teacher Andrew Van Herik protests outside Chicago Public Schools headquarters July 22.

Podcast: COVID-19 and America’s teacher crisis

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief July 29, 2020

The vast majority of Americans believe teachers don’t receive the respect—or pay—they deserve, but that won’t stop the U.S. from forcing educators to work in potential COVID-19 hotspots with barebones...

Wearing a shirt in support of the protest, senior Cam Redmond shares his voice through his clothing. Redmond attended a protest held at West to support Black lives. “Crazy things that have been happening in our world have made me want to be a part of the voice that Black lives and other races matter and we all should be equal,” Redmond said.

The killing of George Floyd will change society forever

Tre Bell, Staff Writer July 14, 2020

As I scrolled through Instagram on May 25, I came across a sickening video of an African American man named George Floyd, laying on his stomach in handcuffs as a police officer kneeled on the back of his...

A parody of the “Jurassic Park” logo, created using Font Meme.

“dinosauce313” and an allegedly botched College Board sting operation

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief May 22, 2020

Based on his tone, you would have thought he had just busted a wanted crime boss.  “It's not worth the risk of having your name reported,” he warned. Instead, he had found high schoolers. The...

Picking up his longboard, junior Nick Turner prepares to skate through a parking lot. During this time of social distancing, Turner has been trying to keep busy with different activities. “I’ve been watching a lot of netflix and going outside, but I like longboarding because it’s easy to pick up and ride,” Turner said.

Photo of the week – May 11

Maddy Truka, Social Media Manager + Video Editor May 14, 2020

Throwing her horns up, senior Maddie Hoffman has a “Zoom prom” with her friends. Hoffman and her friends dressed up to video chat on Zoom and celebrated prom together by coming up with funny senior superlatives. “My favorite part was getting to spend that time with my sister. It’s the sort of thing we normally would’ve been doing with friends, and we got to do it together. I think celebrating prom in a different way was just what everyone needed at a time like this,” Hoffman said.

Prom on the Porch

Quinn Berry, Staff Writer May 4, 2020