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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

Alongside club sponsors Andrea Horn and Tim Burkard, assistant principal Kate Piffel prompts a discussion at the first Black Student Union (BSU) meeting. She accepted suggestions for BSU from members like BSU Leader and junior Tanatswa Zirengani, who moved from Zimbabwe in 2021. “Moving here and transitioning into a new school [and] lifestyle, [BSU] became [a place] where I could be myself and talk about issues that I felt comfortable talking about back home. BSU [also] gave me the opportunity to venture into the post-high-school experience, telling me [some] things to expect,” Zirengani said.
The voice of change
Sage Kelly, Staff Writer • 3 days ago

West High has the smallest black student population of all the Parkway District high schools at 11% of students — 5% lower than the district...

Alongside club sponsors Andrea Horn and Tim Burkard, assistant principal Kate Piffel prompts a discussion at the first Black Student Union (BSU) meeting. She accepted suggestions for BSU from members like BSU Leader and junior Tanatswa Zirengani, who moved from Zimbabwe in 2021. “Moving here and transitioning into a new school [and] lifestyle, [BSU] became [a place] where I could be myself and talk about issues that I felt comfortable talking about back home. BSU [also] gave me the opportunity to venture into the post-high-school experience, telling me [some] things to expect,” Zirengani said.
The voice of change
Sage Kelly, Staff Writer • 3 days ago

West High has the smallest black student population of all the Parkway District high schools at 11% of students — 5% lower than the district...

Surrounded by teammates, junior Katie Byergo is coached by Susan Anderson during a team huddle between sets. Anderson told the team that their energy was lacking, and the team needed to start getting excited about every point. "Cheering on my teammates is something I love to do. Celebrating their success over mine- it's my team over myself," Byergo said.
Beyond the net
Maura Lottes, CJ1 Writer • November 14, 2024

Jumping to the height of 10 feet and 3 inches, junior Katie Byergo hits the ball into the court, hoping to add to her near 800 career kills in...

Junior TJ Polack plays his saxophone solo at halftime for the 2024 marching band show, ‘Coloring Book.’ This year, Polack was one of two soloists in the marching band. “[Polack] is very hard on himself. [His saxophone solo] sounds amazing [and] everyone [cheers] for him; [still], somehow, he thinks it’s a bad performance and he's down. What he does is not easy. It takes a lot of confidence as a person [and] a lot of musical skill to be expressive, and he's doing an amazing job,” drum major and senior Dominic Perez said.
The long run
Sage Kelly, Staff Writer • November 6, 2024

On Oct. 10, as the bustling crowd in the football stadium applauded, junior TJ Polack took his place on stage during halftime to deliver his...

Junior Sravya Guda dances at Clayton High School to showcase her debut performance: the arangetram. The performance was the culmination of years of effort and preparation from Guda “This was my first time performing with a live orchestra. Usually, in St. Louis, a lot of students don't perform with a live orchestra for everyday events. If you're in India, it's a norm that you perform with a live orchestra, but it's harder to find here,” Guda said.
Blending worlds together
Will Gonsior, Opinions/A&E Editor • October 10, 2024

  “Ascending the stage” is a term that invokes the image of someone realizing their potential before an enraptured audience. This...

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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. I'm sure it was really hard for him, but looking back on it, he did a really good job . I didn't appreciate everything that he did at the time because I was so young. Now, I'm 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.
Flashback Friday: Business and personal finance teacher Evan Stern
Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer • February 9, 2024

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. “I'm not going to lie, I'm glad I have another night of my life back when I'm 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]. I'm really happy about that.”
Principal prodigy: Now Dr. John McCabe
Keira Lang and Zoya Hasan January 30, 2024

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 wouldn't 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 wasn't 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. There's no advantage to lying, [and] that's a huge takeaway [from] how my parents raised me.”
Flashback Friday: Art teacher Katy Mangrich
Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer • January 26, 2024

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] I've been for about six years,” Bashirian said.
Flashback Friday: Social studies teacher Aaron Bashirian
Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer • January 12, 2024

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...

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