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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

Paul Gipkhin is planning his strategy of attack in a chess game against Jason Wan. Gipkhin memorized all his opening moves and plans to use his specialty. “My favorite opening is the Sicilian Defense opening,” Gipkhin said. “It is a powerful opening and it is my specialty. I still need to perfect it so I have to practice different variations.”

Chess team embarks on the road to state

Andrew Li, STAFF WRITER February 26, 2018

The game of chess has been around for 1,500 years and played by hundreds of millions of people, but only six players from the Parkway West chess club are going to the state competition on March 17. “Anyone...

Senior Chris Narishkin live-streams basketball game. Games can last up to four hours at a time. “As a camera man, it is my job to never miss the action during this time period,” Narishkin said.

Longhorns Sports Production takes their skills to the next level

Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Section Editor February 26, 2018

For the past two years, Longhorns Sports Production (LSP), has filmed live games of sporting events, but as of the winter season, they extended their skills and now produce live-stream videos available...

Students practicing evading an armed intruder by building a barricade in their classroom.

Faculty responds to spike in mass shootings across United States

Irene Yannakakis, STAFF WRITER February 15, 2018

Just 46 days into the 2018 calendar year, the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. yesterday marks the 29th mass shooting in the United States. English Teacher Kim Hanan-West fears that at some point,...

Juniors Mitchell Norman and Natan Shrpingman sell livergrams during second lunch. The paper livers are sold for $1, and feature Latin phrases related to the holiday. “In ancient Rome they thought love came from the liver, and so we’re playing off that instead of a traditional heart,” Shrpingman said.

District-wide food policy dampens Valentine’s tradition

Dani Fischer, MANAGING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF February 14, 2018

Besides the traditional chocolates, cards and flowers, another tradition west students associate with Valentine's day is receiving liver-shaped candy grams with chocolate attached. “I inherited this...

Rebecca Lintner poses with her two-year-old friend Mark, also called Markaroni, who is the son of a single mother who started the first women’s empowerment group for HIV positive women.

Alumna Rebecca Sheppard Lintner makes a difference through projects in Uganda

Sarah Lashly, COPY COACH February 9, 2018

[Courtesy of Rebecca Lintner] Rebecca Lintner poses with her two-year-old friend Mark, also called Markaroni, who is the son of a single mother who started the first women’s empowerment group for HIV...

Senior Kennedy Brown performs as a perfectionist in the West High Dramatics Company’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee musical. The musical was chosen for the spring show this year and was performed three separate times on the weekend of Feb. 9-11. "I feel really good about [the performance]; I think we did a really good job," Brown said. "I still have people coming up to me and congratulating me which is a cool feeling."

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee review

Maria Newton, FEATURES EDITOR February 8, 2018

From the trials of puberty to learning to cope with an absent mother, the musical production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” by the West High Dramatics Company provided an evening of...

The Ballman family poses for a photo. "We lost a wonderful person that tragic day ten years ago, but his positive influence will be felt for a long time to come," Claymont Elementary school principal Aaron Wills said. Tom Ballman is survived by his son Josh, daughter Rachel, and wife Cindy.

8. In memory of Officer Thomas Ballman

Susie Seidel, Convergence Media Editor February 7, 2018

On Feb. 7, 2008, a shooter opened fire at a Kirkwood City Council meeting, leaving six dead and two injured. Police officer Tom Ballman was among the fatalities. He is survived by his wife Cindy and his...

Signing to his friend, junior Andrew Aydt demonstrates ASL. Aydt began learning sign language as an infant. "My parents mean the world to me and I'm proud to know American Sign Language," Aydt said.

A Sign of Change

Maddie Cooke, STAFF WRITER February 5, 2018

Imagine being completely fluent in a language that is unspoken but visually understood. Where the movement of your body and mouth is the way you communicate with people around you. This is American Sign...

Honing in on the show’s coreographical precision, actors and dance captains rehearse a musical number from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Slated for a debut on Feb. 9, the production’s opening night will take place exactly three months after the third and final day of auditions. “The hardest part about being in a musical for me is learning to think about character, singing, dancing and memorization all at the same time,” freshman Arden Dickson said. “When you’re running a number and focusing on getting the steps correct, you might accidentally step out of character or miss a beat of singing. That balance is something our directors, choreographers and stage managers motivate us to achieve.”

Cast and crew of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee prepare for opening night

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief February 2, 2018

After three months of preparation, the theater department is set to showcase The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Friday Feb. 9, and twice the following day. The official Music Theatre International...

Holding signs stating, '#MeToo', students express support for the movement encompassing the media.

Parkway responds to the issue of sexual assault

Susie Seidel, Convergence Media Editor February 1, 2018

The anticipation of event posters filling the walls, parents selling bagels for 75 cents per half and that voice always reminding you to stay classy at the end of the day all contribute to the climate...