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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

Ashlyn Gillespie

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief

Pronouns: she/her

Grade: 12

Years on staff: 4

What was your favorite childhood TV show? Little Einsteins or Dinosaur Train

What is your favorite book? I really liked The Things They Carried, but that's a hard question as always

What motivates you? Being able to meet new people and share their stories, helping their voices be heard through our publication, a platform they may not otherwise have if not for us. That really gets me motivated every day.

All content by Ashlyn Gillespie
Vivian’s Pledge was created in 2002 after a series of events that occurred throughout the 2001, 2002 and 2003 school years. After over 20 years, many teachers still have a poster of the pledge in their room, but almost no students know what it is.

Vivian’s Pledge: the hidden message no one sees

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
May 1, 2023

The importance of public libraries

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
April 21, 2023
Tilting their head patiently, senior Macy Ziegler gets their face painted in the library in preparation for the Spring Pep Rally. The library invited students to come in during lunch and paint each other’s faces West-themed for the event. “[The event] sounded fun. [Face painting] is a thing I haven't done since I was eight, and I had a friend who wanted to go, so I figured, why not? It's free,” Ziegler said. “I hung out in the library before school a lot last year with my friends, and I enjoyed it.”

Beyond Books

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief
April 21, 2023

St. Louis County Library

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
April 21, 2023
NHS members wear red to support and promote blood donations. NHS sponsor and English teacher Erin Fluchel helped student members organize the event. “[Donating blood] is a really small thing that can make a big difference. It can impact people that you don't necessarily know. You don't see the immediate impact, but it can be really powerful,” Fluchel said.

NHS hosts blood drive to aid St. Louis community

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
March 6, 2023
2023 Senior Send-off Map

2023 Senior Send-off Map

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
February 18, 2023
Our water fountains have personalities! Some are strong and used a lot; some seem sick and need replacement, while others are just very, very old. It’s almost like they have personalities . . . Well, what if they do?

The water fountains are alive!

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
February 3, 2023
Greeting his 3-year-old daughter Molly McCabe, Principal John McCabe smiles after getting pied in the face by senior Esha Francis during lunch. McCabe got pied as a reward for school spirit at the Parkway Holiday Cup Volleyball Tournament on Wednesday Dec. 14. “[Molly] just started her first year of Pre-K and she's loving it. I told her all weekend I was getting pied and she thought it was really funny, so she just wanted to see dad getting pied. She loved it but she told me she was a little bit scared because she didn’t recognize me,” McCabe said.

Photo of the Week – Dec. 22

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief
December 22, 2022
Swimming the 500-freestyle, junior Maddi Lang competes in a home meet against South, Tuesday, Dec. 13. Already five weeks into the season, Lang improved her freestyle time by five seconds. “I loved the meets and how we all supported each other, it was a positive [environment]. At our very first meet, I could see our team at the side of the pool cheering for everyone, which was a cool [experience.] Even though some people might not have [as good of a ranking] as others, we all supported each other,” Lang said.

Photo of the Week – Dec. 16

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief
December 16, 2022
Kimora Jones

Kimora Jones

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
December 9, 2022
Seniors Abigail Wheeler and Grace Fotheringham hand candy to a princess at the varsity cheer trunk. Fotheringham helped decorate with streamers and loved interacting with kids and seeing their costumes. "I love kids, and it [was] a great way [for them] to get involved at West. It was such a cute idea," Fotheringham said.

Spooktacular Trunk or Treat trunks reviewed

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
October 31, 2022
Trunk or Treat!

Trunk or Treat!

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
October 21, 2022
Former Principal Beth Plunkett poses with her memoir “Lessons That Endure: Reflections of a High School Principal.”

“Lessons That Endure”

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
October 14, 2022
Explaining how to request high school transcripts for the college application, college counselor Chris Lorenz leads a senior class meeting for English teacher Diana Lurkins’ AP Literature class. West High transitioned the counseling department to create a single college counselor, following in the footsteps of the other four Parkway high schools. “I love working with high school [students], coming of age, moving from being a child to an adult. I’m helping individuals through that transition, which encompasses an understanding of themselves and  their passions are as they leave high school and go off to do bigger and better things,” Lorenz said.

[Photo] Counseling department shifts gears

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
September 13, 2022
Wearing a bright smile, custodian Sean Smith sits on a bench greeting students in the morning. Smith believed that if the first thing students see when they enter the school is someone saying good morning, it will make their day that much better. “Now, if you're walking up that walkway with an attitude, I want [you] to see a cheery face that says ‘hey, I'm glad to see you,’” Smith said.

More than a custodian

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor in Chief
May 20, 2022
Teachers, counselors and students share their opinions on the ACT test-optional policies.

ACT test-optional 101

Ashlyn Gillespie, Sports and News Section Editor
March 9, 2022
Starting at her grid paper, freshman Nola Becquette tries to recreate a spread from another school’s yearbook using Cheez Its, graham cracker, Airheads, Twizzlers, Hershey kisses and Kit Kats. After watching the Pica King video, students applied the skills they learned before getting on to computers to create their own designs. “I definitely got an understanding because before then I didn’t know how to [create a spread]. But now that I have more experience, I finally feel like I can get the hang of it,” Becquette said.

Photo of the Week – Jan. 28

Ashlyn Gillespie, Sports and News Section Editor
January 28, 2022

Teachers are fed up and searching for solutions

Ashlyn Gillespie, Sports and News Section Editor
January 14, 2022
Phones are a major problem between students and teachers, but why?

Obstruction of learning or a beneficial tool?

Ashlyn Gillespie, Sports and News Section Editor
January 14, 2022
Waltzing with the chambelanes, May Trejo-Vasquez and her court perform the second dance in her quinceañera. Although everything played out smoothly in the end, Trejo-Vasquez and her court had some problems performing the waltz in the rehearsals leading to the big night, due to Trejo-Vasquez’s ball gown. “It was pretty difficult, the boys kept slipping on [the dress] in our last practice but we got it down,” Trejo-Vasquez said.

The Finale

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff writer
April 21, 2021
Posing again for the cameraman, freshman May Trejo-Vasquez lays on her dress and flashes a smile. Although the jewelry was just a costume for the photo shoot, that didn’t keep Trejo-Vasquez from feeling like it was finally getting real. “When I did that first photo shoot, that’s really when it started to get real for me because I put on all the makeup and the dress, we've taken the pictures so we can't go back now,” Trejo-Vasquez said.

‘Chilling’ in Texas

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff Writer
April 14, 2021
Counting out the steps to the beat, freshman May Trejo-Vasquez and her friends practice the dances for the Quineañera one more time. This was the last of the practices before the big day, and Trejo-Vasquez’s friends who were standing in the ceremony did their part. “All my friends are going to be able to come because most of them are standing in the quince and then the other [friends who are not standing in the ceremony] I’m just inviting, they’re all going to show up,” Trejo-Vasquez said.

COVID-19 Conundrum

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff Writer
April 7, 2021
Sitting on the corner of the garden wall, Trejo-Vasquez sits still once more for the photographer. This photo shoot was taken in November 2020 at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio, Texas, and Trejo-Vasquez decided it was nothing like what she thought a photo shoot was like. “I was expecting it to just be quick and easy with no crowd, but it was the exact opposite,” Trejo-Vasquez said. It was a bit awkward because of how long I would have to hold a pose.”

The art of flexibility

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff Writer
March 31, 2021
In Convergence Journalism class, sophomores Jordan Scales and Thomas Bruns watch the Inauguration Wednesday, Jan. 20. Despite it being President Joe Biden's inauguration, many viewers focused on Bernie Sanders' mittens. “When I heard about the inauguration I didn’t really care too much about it,” Scales said. “I didn’t have any favorite parts of it because I don’t really care about politics. Bernie Sanders' mittens looked pretty good though.”

Photo of the Week- Jan. 18

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff Writer
January 22, 2021
Trying to steal the ball, junior and varsity field hockey player Kasey Schroder scrimmages with junior and varsity field hockey player Lindsi Cook during practice. Field Hockey, along with other Moderate Frequency Sports, were cleared to compete as of Sept. 23. “We haven't been able to play any games, but we just got the green light starting Monday,” Cook said. “I started playing field hockey this year, so I've only been playing for about four or five weeks now... I am excited to be able to play my first game soon.”

Photo of the week – Sept. 21

Ashlyn Gillespie, Staff Writer
September 25, 2020
Preparing for a band concert, alumna Vicky Hedgecock and her friend Sarah Kellogg get ready together in their senior year of high school in 2012. Hedgecock agreed that band helped a lot with her animation skills. “If you come from some sort of musical background like band, it really helps with timing actions for your animation so they work with the beat of the music and have a better overall impact in trailers or in the movie itself,” Hedgecock said.

Alumna Vicky Hedgecock animates “Call of The Wild”

Ashlyn Gillespie, Convergence Journalism Writer
January 22, 2020
Seniors Abigayle Dorrance, Sophie Reidt and choreographer Joe Milliano rehearse a tap routine to go along with the song "Toledo Surprise" from “Drowsy Chaperone." 
 Milliano assisted with auditions and choreography in preparation for the musical. “[The actors] don't have the tap experience but everyone that's working in the musical has a 'can-do' attitude of 'if I work hard at this and I practice I know I can make this happen.' That's what makes it so much fun. And I know that with the hard work that the students are putting in that we will get a great end result as a result of that,” Milliano said.

[Photo] Joe Milliano: The tap dancing teacher

Madison Michajliczenko, Convergence Journalism Writer
January 14, 2020
Freshman Rohan Daggubati engages in a ping pong match against junior Sri Jaladi. Daggubati has played ping pong for two years and with the Ping Pong Club every Tuesday. "I get the chance to play, and I liked the tournament [we had]," Daggubati said. "[I like that] in the club everybody can play, even if you don't have a table at home."

[Photo] Photo of the week – Nov. 18

Fatema Rehmani, Awards Coordinator
November 22, 2019
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Ashlyn Gillespie