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

Landing her triple jump, freshman Laurel Rakers competes in a track meet against Parkway South, April 10. Rakers worked with both coaches and older teammates to perfect her jumps and cites senior Tess Allgeyer as one of her role models on the team. “I just started this year. I really liked long jumping, and my coach wanted me to try the triple jump. I loved it," Rakers said. "The support from [the team] and the coaches keep you going.”

Photo of the week – April 8

Emma Caplinger, Arts and Entertainment Editor April 12, 2019

Pulling down her safety restraints, senior Madison Terry prepares to ride the Boomerang roller coaster at Six Flags St. Louis, April 2. Each year, the senior class takes a field trip to Six Flags while the underclassmen take the ACT exam. “I’m done with the ACT and almost in college now, so it was really fun to be with everyone one last time,” Terry said.

Photo of the week – April 1

Emma Caplinger, Arts and Entertainment Editor April 5, 2019

Remembering substitute teacher Robert Schepp

Claire Smout, AWARDS COORDINATOR March 29, 2019

The community mourns the loss of Mr. Robert Paul “Bob” Schepp who passed away March 7. Schepp, who was born Sept. 18, 1934, worked as an electrical engineer for McDonnell Douglas. A science and learning...

During second lunch, junior Angie Jia works on homework. As the daughter of immigrants, Jia cares for issues surrounding civil liberties and social causes and chose laptop stickers that would represent her passions. “My ‘Immigrants Make America Great’ represents my parents, who I am and who I feel should be empowered in America: immigrants. I value protecting and preserving our environment over industry so I have an environmental awareness sticker too,” Jia said. “My ‘Believe Women' sticker I got around the time of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings because I strongly agreed with what Dr. Christine Blasely Ford was doing by empowering women and believing their stories.”

The story behind the stickers

Kathryn McAuliffe, Managing Editor-in-Chief March 29, 2019

Discover the story behind students' stickers!  

Senior Noah Wright delivers a speech at the St. Louis Youth Climate Strike US in front of a crowd of 100. Wright was a lead organizer for the event after being inspired by what he learned in AP Environmental Science and Honors Environmental Sustainability. “For decades, our politicians have failed us by doing so little when we need so much. It is my hope they see crowds like this across the country and realize that the time for denial is over,” Wright said. “To our politicians we have one message: take action against climate change or we will vote you out.”

St. Louis youth gather downtown to demand action regarding climate change

Maria Newton and Sabrina Bohn March 15, 2019

The Youth Climate Strike US held a national walkout today, March 15, attended by students across the United States as part of a global movement; it is estimated that about one million students worldwide...

The Parkway Step Team performs during the homecoming pep rally Sept. 28. The team plans to travel to Virginia Beach, VA to perform this weekend for a national competition. “Performing in front of the school is way different than a real competition because there are not as many people watching you at school and its less pressure because it's not a competition, it's just a chance to have fun. But at a real competition, there is a lot more pressure to win, and there are more than 2,000 people watching you, usually,” sophomore RoNeeka Boyd said.

The Parkway Step Team plans to attend a national competition in Virginia

Irene Yannakakis, STAFF WRITER March 15, 2019

The nationally acclaimed step team is back at it once again. With plans to travel to Virginia next week for the Spring Showdown Step Competition, the team continues to practice to make the trip worth their...

Directing the girls Chamber Choir through their daily vocal warm ups, choir director Eric Anthony prepares the students for the day’s rehearsal. Anthony has been teaching in the music department since 2006. “I’m thankful that I’m ending my career in a school that I really like a lot,” Anthony said. “I was blessed to come to this place and am blessed to be finishing my career in a place that I feel safe and the kids feel safe. We don’t have to be the best athletes, we don’t have to be the best musicians, but we put out a good product and we’re happy with it. We know who we are.”

Choir director Eric Anthony sings “so long, farewell” to his time as an educator

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor March 15, 2019

After 13 years of dedicated service to the music department, choir director Eric Anthony is retiring from his career as an educator. While Anthony was hired primarily as a choir director, he found...

Officer Zeus Hernandez stands at the counter of his restaurant La Tiendita, located at the corner of Clarkson and Manchester. He and his wife own the restaurant, which sells authentic Mexican cuisine along with groceries.

The secret life of School Resource Officer Zeus Hernandez

Holly Gilbert, Staff Writer March 12, 2019

Although we often see School Resource Officer Zeus Hernandez patrolling the parking lot and monitoring student life, his passions extend beyond the hallways to his love of authentic Mexican cuisine....

Standing next to her mother, senior Hira Khan smiles, showing her relief to finally be back in St. Louis. Because of her airport experience, Khan realized that she will have to be more independent. “I now know that I won’t always have my siblings or parents to do everything for me and that there are some things you have to learn to do on your own, no matter how difficult it is,” Khan said.

Stuck in the Abu Dhabi airport for six days, senior Hira Khan finds her way back home

Andrew Li, STAFF WRITER March 5, 2019

Peeved, anxious, alone and sick with food poisoning, senior Hira Khan awaited her flight from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi; however, the flight was overbooked, leaving Khan flightless without any explanation. “I...

Focusing in on a new strategy to beat future opponents in an upcoming tournament, chess team captain and senior Matt Boyd draws on his self-made improvements to strategically think through his moves. Earlier in his career, Boyd made moves quicker than he does now; however, he has improved as a player and realized the importance of working through the scenarios. “We have had multiple matches where I spent all of my two hours, and I'm the last one there,” Boyd said. “I'm just so involved [in the game]. I don't think there's any one thing that makes me concentrate more than other people, but I guess it's just that I'm so invested in it.”

Chess team savors last year with four senior players as state championship nears

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief March 4, 2019

Surrounded by silence, five chess players duke it out against their rival, Ladue High School, in an intense battle on the boards. Four of the five players are seniors Matt Boyd, Jason Wan, Paul Gipkhin...