Opinions - Pathfinder

With constant pressures of school, extracurriculars, sports, and social events, teens have a mind that works so fast that each thought continues to pile up in their heads. Community awareness of how students feel during a school day is crucial to stabilizing their mental health. “I believe the main cause for mental health issues in schools is students feeling overworked, which leads to burnout. Schools should be aware of students' mental health to help them feel supported and not feel peer pressure from their surroundings,” sophomore Joe Wild said.

A young mind under pressure: The link between adolescent mental health and school shootings

Aminah Hilaly, Staff Writer • April 21, 2025

When an individual watches yet another school shooting recounted on the news, it causes heartache and sympathy. But the repercussions go much...

A discarded Starbucks gift card sits among crumpled tissues and trash in front of a Palestinian scarf, symbolizing the ongoing boycott against the company. The controversial ongoing war between Israel and Hamas saw support from various corporations, including Starbucks, which faced backlash after involving itself in a tweet by Starbucks Workers United expressing solidarity with Palestine. “If you continuously buy Starbucks knowing they don't align with your moral values, then you are going to be dehumanized to that. The point of the boycott is showing Starbucks that these groups of people are not with them,” junior Zoya Hasan said.

Starbucks: A brewing crisis

Yusra Khan, Staff Writer • March 13, 2025

A leadership shake-up On Sept. 9, 2024, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narashiman stepped down after only 17 months of leading, with former Chipotle boss...

As the digital age grows, so does the use of music streaming platforms which make music easier to access. But even with how popular many streaming platforms are, the payment of emerging artists who share their music has stayed below a liveable wage.

A digital age: Music streaming platforms are killing artists

Opal Kadam, Staff Writer • February 6, 2025

Apple Music. Deezer. Spotify. Tidal. YouTube Music. These are some of the most popular music streaming platforms in the 21st century, and rightfully...

Some of the most deadly instances of gun violence have occurred in schools, communities and other ‘safe spaces’ for students. These uncontrolled settings give way to the need for gun regulation, including background and mental health checks. “Gun control comes about with more laws, but there are a lot of guns out there that people could obtain illegally. What is a solution that would get the illegal guns off the street? We have yet to find [one],” social studies teacher Nancy Sachtlaben said.

Lives on the line: Gun violence’s impact on America

Ruthvi Tadakamalla, Sports/Newsletter Editor • January 24, 2025

On Nov. 23, as Christian Brothers College junior Colin Brown and his father drove home from a hockey game on Interstate 55, a stray bullet hit...

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Red, white and blue, the American flag holds the values of our democracy. The fight that we once endured has returned, as student journalists and senior correspondents across the country are losing their voices due to government control. “[Are] the White House and [the] government limiting free speech [and] freedom of the press? Yes [they are],” chief communications officer of the Parkway School District and former journalist Elisa Tomich said.

The fight for the first: Protecting journalists across the country

Parkway West Editorial Board • March 31, 2025

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” Jefferson’s...

A board in the Parkway West counseling department displays pennants of selective universities. With a wide range of students interested in attending, it’s important that these schools have clear priorities when deciding who to admit. “[Washington University] had the major that I wanted, psychology, philosophy, neuroscience. That's a holistic study of the brain, and [WashU is] the only college in the world that offers that. That's the main reason I wanted to go; I got into that program,” senior Dima Layth said.

Through the looking-glass

Pathfinder Editorial Board • February 28, 2025

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s UNC/Harvard decision to overturn the use of race-conscious affirmative action policies in college recruiting,...

With drastic polarization characterizing the country's political environment, divide spills over into other aspects of daily life. Healthcare is defined by the World Health Organization as a fundamental human right; however, the topic has become more accepted as a point of debate rather than a matter of utmost importance. "Going to the doctor, getting a necessary procedure or giving aid to places that need it should be indisputable — regardless of party alignment," junior Ryan Shabani said.

Health isn’t a political tool, it’s a human right

Pathfinder Editorial Board • January 31, 2025

Health first — a phrase commonly integrated throughout schools, communities and even society as a whole. It serves as a constant reminder that...

Within the U.S., the busiest shopping period of the year is Cyber Week, the time from Thanksgiving through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, shoppers spent $13.3 billion on Cyber Monday, which is a 7.3% year-over-year increase from 2023. “When I was younger, I would always be out with my mom getting Christmas gifts or just shopping in general. Now, as she has gotten older, I've noticed [that almost] every day, I'll open the front door and there's three packages that my mom has ordered. Part of that is she just doesn't always have the time to go to a store for 30 minutes to an hour, but the other part is when she gets bored, she has easy access to [shopping],” junior Grace Garetson said.

Season of giving, season of getting

Pathfinder Editorial Board • December 20, 2024

Temperatures drop, snow begins to fall and colorful lights go up around residential neighborhoods: the holidays are here. This ‘season of giving,’...

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