May 29, 2024
Samir Shaik, Editor-in-ChiefMay 18, 2024
Esta Kamau, Features/HOW EditorMay 14, 2024
Lia Emry, Staff WriterMay 10, 2024
Emily Early, Lia Emry, Elizabeth Franklin, Raj Jaladi, Sakenah Lajkem, Mikalah Owens, Samari Sanders, and Serena LiuMay 2, 2024
Emily Early and Samir ShaikMay 1, 2024
Audrey Ghosh, Opinion's EditorApril 26, 2024
Lia Emry, Staff WriterApril 12, 2024
Sakenah Lajkem, Staff WriterApril 4, 2024
Audrey Ghosh, Opinions EditorMarch 28, 2024
Mikalah Owens, Staff Writer
![Standing in front of the American Sign Language program’s mural, junior Brooke Hoenecke signs with freshman Darren Young. Hoenecke began cadet teaching for ASL this year alongside working towards earning her seal of biliteracy. “I was in ASL class when I received the email [that I qualified for the seal]. I was jumping up and down with my teacher and the rest of the class. One of the reasons why I took cadet teaching this year was so that I could prepare for the Seal of Biliteracy and be immersed in ASL,” Hoenecke said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hoenecke.jpeg)
On May 15 at the 56th annual Honors Ceremony, junior Brooke Hoenecke walked across the stage after marking a landmark achievement for the school:...
![Walking onto the field, freshman Erastus Adewusi wears a pink jersey in remembrance of cancer awareness month. With the number seven on his jersey, Adewusi reflects on his life in Nigeria before moving to America. “I [used to wake up] at 5:30 a.m. and school would end at 5 p.m. [versus] now,” Adewusi said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0029-1200x800.jpg)
In seventh grade, freshman Erastus Adewusi and his family stepped off a plane into America after living in Nigeria for 11 years. His mother landed...
![As seniors complete their final assignments, tests and work of the school year, they reflect on their time in Convergence Journalism.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cream-Simple-Minimalist-Photo-Film-Photo-Collage-1200x960.png)
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...
![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)
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...
![Business and personal finance teacher Evan Stern stands in front of his classroom. After facing hardships growing up, Stern learned how to deal with them with the help of role models like his dad. “We dealt with some trauma when I was in middle school, and my dad had to be responsible for all three of us while he was working full-time. I know he had to sacrifice a lot. Im sure it was really hard for him, but looking back on it, he did a really good job . I didnt appreciate everything that he did at the time because I was so young. Now, Im engaged and probably going to have kids of my own in the next couple of years so I [am starting] to look at things differently,” Stern said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Untitled-7-1200x900.jpg)
What school did you go to? I grew up in Parkway school district. I went to Green Trails [Elementary for] elementary school, [and] then I went...
![Holding his two smiling daughters in his arms, Principal John McCabe celebrates earning his doctorate degree. He attended Maryville University for two years and reached his goal of achieving a Doctor of Education: Educational Leadership degree after months upon months of hard work and long nights. “Im not going to lie, Im glad I have another night of my life back when Im not at school till very late,” McCabe said. “I can spend more time with my family and with my friends [who] are here at [West]. Im really happy about that.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/mccabefeature.png)
Cutting through the loud and excited chatter of the bustling cafeteria, Principal John McCabe’s newly-awarded doctorate certification was announced...
![Art teacher Katy Mangrich sits in her classroom, smiling for a picture. During her time in high school, Mangrich learned several lessons that she now passes on to her son. “The biggest life lesson that I learned is honesty. I wouldnt say I was the best teenager, but I learned very quickly in high school to always be forthcoming and honest with my parents because it always ended up serving me better in the long run. [My parents] might have been upset with me [and the mistake I made], but I wasnt going down the rabbit hole of a lie because that was just going to get me into more trouble,” Mangrich said. “I passed [that lesson] along to my nephew. Honesty is always your best approach; just don’t lie. I say that to my son all the time. Theres no advantage to lying, [and] thats a huge takeaway [from] how my parents raised me.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-10.10.12-AM.png)
Art teacher Katy Mangrich sits in her classroom, smiling for a picture. During her time in high school, Mangrich learned several lessons that...
![Social studies teacher Aaron Bashirian smiles in front of his classroom. Bashirian didn’t know he wanted to be a teacher from early on, but he found the choice to be a good one. “I started [teaching] because there was an opportunity for me to experiment with it. Fortunately, [teaching] was a good choice. In 2012, I became a teacher at Parkway at the Alternative Discipline Center, which is where they send suspended kids to keep being educated if they choose. I spent six years there and then I got drafted to West, [where] Ive been for about six years,” Bashirian said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-35-1200x800.jpg)
What school did you go to? I went to Royall Middle and High [School]. It combined [students from] Elroy, Mo. and Kendall, Mo., so that’s...
![English teacher Angela Frye stands behind her desk in her classroom. Frye went through a lot of personal struggles to get to where she is today, and with each step in her life, she carries her gratitude for those obstacles. “Everything happens for a reason. I believe in [the concept of] good energy, good karma, [from] being a good person. Those are things I dont take lightly. [Struggles] build character. You really appreciate everything you have when you have to work for everything you have,” Frye said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-8-1200x800.jpg)
What school did you go to? For junior high — we didn't have middle school at the time — I was in Barnwell Junior High. I graduated...