Carly Anderson, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
Grade: 12
Years on Staff: 4
What’s your coffee order? Hot chocolate, please.
What song describes you best? Magic Dance by David Bowie.
What is the one thing you cannot live without? Dog accounts on Instagram.
![Blending together a concoction for a science experiment, science teacher Joel Anderson scares his students by bringing excitement and thrill into his classroom for his annual Halloween show. It took about six weeks for Anderson to set up his classroom for the show. “It’s pure terror. I came up with this idea a couple decades ago to do something fun for Halloween. So I pretend to be this mad scientist [that creates] a Frankenstein-like creature [with the class], learning a little bit of science along the way and [then ending] with a laser show. It’s just for fun; entertainment value,” Anderson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0021.JPG_-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing with girls cross country team mascot Pump the pumpkin, senior Sydney Etchason laughs with her teammates. Before the team’s senior night, Etchason undertook an odyssey to recover the pumpkin, which had been stolen by boys cross country. “We went through practice, and then a little birdie told me that it was in [senior] Emmett [Vernon's] car. I [offered Vernon] $50 to give us our pumpkin back, and we got Pump back,” Etchason said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0002-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Voter registration is open for November’s presidential election through Oct. 9. On Oct. 2, students at West High were able to receive assistance with online registration in the library. “When I went into the library to [register to] vote, [librarian] Lauren Reusch made completing my registration very easy and clear. It’s important to learn about voting and it’s important that schools help with voter registration, because it can be confusing for first-time voters,” senior Gianna Lionelli said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-03-at-1.53.06 PM-1200x795.png)
![Latin students pose for a group photo in front of historical ruins in Italy. From March 13 to March 23, the Latin department traversed cities in Italy to immerse students in an educational experience of a lifetime. “I enjoyed being able to learn about the different cultures. [The trip] encouraged me to see other people's lifestyle and learn more about different histories,” senior Suraiya Saroar said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240318_092633493.jpg)
![From Jan. 22 through Feb. 1, Parkway West High is displaying a wide array of art pieces made by students ranging from elementary to high school. All classes were represented on the displays in both the art wing and the main foyer of the school. “[Art] benefits me because in the middle of a busy day. I can just relax and have some fun doing art and it makes me happy. I think it's important that you show art in the art show so that people can get inspired by it and be inspired to create their own pieces; it’s really impactful,” sophomore Dhiya Prasanna said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image1-1200x800.jpg)
![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.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/462488499_2973926416100522_5057718068659607183_n-1200x925.jpg)
![Sophomore Isaiah Meese smiles after his Eagle Scout Ceremony. Meese has participated in the scouting program since first grade, learning new aspects of life and growing a community of a second family. “I almost didn’t do [boy scouting], but I'm glad I eventually did start doing it. I regret that I wasn't [working towards Eagle Scout during COVID]. It might not always seem like the most rewarding thing, but if you put your time into it, there's a good chance you'll get quite a lot out of it: friends, new activities and hobbies, or just more experience,” Meese said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1004-1200x800.jpg)
![Junior Justin Lutz arranges his collection of basketball sports cards. Lutz started his first hand at entrepreneurship with an online store on eBay, dealing and trading in the sports card market. “I was already collecting sports cards [before], so I knew a lot of these players and I understood the market. I ventured into other sports, but I really stayed with the ones that I knew the most, [like] basketball. It’s really important to focus on what you know because it's so much easier than starting completely from scratch in a market that you don't understand. Find something that you're interested in," Lutz said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-2.png)
![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)
![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.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Untitled-7-1200x900.jpg)
![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.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/mccabefeature.png)
![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.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-10.10.12-AM.png)
![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.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-35-1200x800.jpg)
![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 don't 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)
![Despite the numerous health and ethical concerns of energy drinks, popular influencers still flood their social media platforms with numerous posts, and drinks sell out as energy drink companies continue dropping new flavors. The energy drink industry, worth an estimated $99 billion, has maintained a large growth rate, yet is no stranger to controversy. “[The] curiosity of teens needs to be considered. Showing them other alternatives that are safer — like a small cup of coffee — or having them research and discover on their own [would be safer,]" health teacher Jessica Wheeler said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC0038-2-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Sally Peters stands in the history hallway, contemplating her choices in the 2024 United States and Missouri elections on Nov. 5. As a member of Diplomacy Club, Peters has discussed key candidates and issues in contemporary American politics. “[As students], we're starting to become adults. We're realizing how much the policies that are enforced and the laws that make it through the House and Senate are starting to affect us. [Opportunities such as] AP [U.S.Government] and Diplomacy Club [make elections feel] a lot more real,” Diplomacy Club vice president and senior Nidhisha Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Flag-1-1.png)
![Eyes tracing his book, freshman Auggie Prsha works to translate a passage in Latin teacher Tom Herpel's classroom. Prsha decided to take Latin after hearing about the fun classroom activities, but he quickly began to see the effects of learning a foreign language in the world around him too. “Sometimes in English class, I can [recognize] some Latin words, and I notice Latin in other places [as well]. I enjoy the people [and] learning from Herpel,” Prsha said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/prsha.jpg)
![Mounting school pressure can leave many students overworked and overstressed. Schools must give students the necessary resources to help assuage student mental health issues and prevent the development of serious crises. “The biggest thing [schools] can do [to protect student mental health] is offer more time [to do work], like a study hall, or offer more support from teachers so that students don't feel stressed out and can get help in areas that they need,” senior Bhavya Gupta said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/unnamed-4.jpg)
![Like many students, sophomore Medina Nanic experiences pressure to do well in school. Through continuous success and achievements, West has developed a high academic standard for students. “Because we’re seen as one [of] the better schools, we have higher standards than the [schools] who aren’t ranked as high. There’s a lot of pressure on students to do [well] and live up to those standards,” Nanic said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0029-2-1200x800.jpg)
![In the 1950s, the first recorded spikes in global temperatures were recorded, and ever since, Earth has been in the midst of a disastrous climate crisis, as rising temperatures wreak havoc on susceptible regions and destroy animal habitats worldwide. Junior Nidhi Pejathaya helped found West’s Sustainability Council to create a space where students can educate themselves about climate change and do their part to preserve the environment. “When you're going out of your way to recycle [or] reuse your clothes to save water, you're saving people. You're saving adults, you're saving families, you're saving children. You're saving a whole generation. Just because we don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening,” Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/new-editorial-feature-1200x800.jpg)
![In perfect shooting form and with eyes on the rim, junior Tyler Kuehl is about to shoot his next basket in the last game of the season against Marquette High School. Kuehl has been playing basketball since he was 5. “Even though I played basketball all my life, the game-winning shots can be pressure, it's confidence. If you're going into that shot and not thinking that you're gonna make it, it's obviously not going in. And if you believe, [it will]. That's the only way you can succeed,” Kuehl said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/unnamed-32-1-1200x1200.png)
![“Hitting that ball hard is just pure satisfaction. I’m on the varsity tennis team, and it’s funny because I actually got pressured into joining, but we actually [had] a really good season. I’ve been playing for three years now. My favorite part is definitely going to other schools and meeting other girls. Tennis is really fun and it's a good stress reliever, but something that [stresses me out] is definitely tests [at school]. When things [start to] stress me out, I just tell myself that [I] can get there because everyone will move on and [will] get there [too].” Alisha Yin, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/alishayin-copy-1200x800.jpg)
!["Becoming a teacher evolved over time. I wanted to be a writer or in theater, [so] I got degrees in English and theater and wrote plays. Every important job involved working with kids. After college, I [worked on] shows with kids, and [everything] I loved came together. That's when I thought [becoming a teacher]. I went back to school [for] a master’s in education. [Being] 5-foot-2, I was a little scared to teach high school, thinking students [might] think I was younger than them, [so] I got a job at the middle [school] and loved [it]. I always wanted to teach high school, and [now I’ve finally done it]. I see [my students’] great writing, and it inspires me. I've written so much myself but haven't sent much out [yet]. I think I'll [focus on that] after I retire. This is my second year at Parkway West and my first [time] teaching high school, and it’s something I've always wanted to do. I love being [here].” – Marcy Rademeyer, English](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/KhanY_RademeyerM3-Yusra-Khan.png)
![“I’m the vice president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the co-president of the Women in Healthcare club, and [am also in] of ABC club, NHS first aid, the diplomacy club, and other volunteering activities [in my community.] My main goal in these clubs is to be actively engaged in the school and give back to the community. [Through these opportunities,] I’ve learned to be a better organizer and planner, especially with my roles in MSA and Women in Healthcare. I think these skills will be valuable towards the career path I choose. I’m particularly interested in the medical field, which is why I co-founded Women in Healthcare. As a freshman, I was the chief financial officer of the Muslim Student Association. This year, I’m the vice president. We’ve worked hard to improve the organization and make the club more fun and interactive for everyone. It’s been great to see the club grow, with a lot of new freshmen joining. Balancing all of these activities with my schoolwork can be challenging at times, but the whole team helps with the workload. A misconception others have about the MSA is that [there is minimum involvement.] One time I went to stamp the MSA flyers to get approved down at the office, and the woman was hesitant about it. She asked how many people actually come to our meetings, so I explained that we usually have 35 to 40 people. Parkway West includes lots of diversity and it [helps strengthen] our community.” – Yusra Khan, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1f5dbf90-8b69-452a-a610-22726c8a6ed9-1200x800.jpg)
![“Sports [can] teach you a lot of things, and playing on the team can teach you leadership. When you're working with a bunch of guys, you’ve got to know what's best for the team, and you've got to do whatever is best for the team. Commitment is a big part of sports. Some days, you don't want to show up to practice, [but] you have to do it because it's what's best for the team. You just [have] to be committed. You [gain] better relationships and you make a lot of friends when you play sports. You're spending at least two hours a day with those people, so you build really strong relationships with your teammates. If you put in the work, you're bound to get better.” - Henry Wild, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/4edc5735-3dad-4150-ac6f-3ee8ba65d2b5-1200x803.jpg)
![“I moved here halfway through my freshman year. [Many] things were a culture shock, and I'm still learning. It wasn't hard to get accustomed to, [just new]. There are some parts of my Indian culture that I like to [emphasize]. My best friend is also Indian, she's Hindu, and we both celebrate our holidays together. We have that sort of bonding, but we also celebrate Christmas and dress very Western. There are times, like during Eid, I want to dress a bit more traditional. My grandmother fell sick at the start of [quarantine]. I could only see her once before she passed away. When I got to see her, she was fine. Then, she started having pain when she was walking. I thought it was just because of [her] getting old. I didn't realize that she was going to be gone so fast. I didn't spend enough time with her. I [knew she was] getting sick, but I couldn't see her. It felt like there was nothing I could do in the moment. [A piece of advice I would give to others is] don't be so hard on yourself. Think about the moments you did have with them, rather than the time you didn't spend with them. That's what helped me get through it.” - Samaira Siddiqui, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/af49dba5-f605-40ba-ac47-d785ae5f7777-1200x801.jpg)
![Holding up a soccer ball, junior Jansen Miller dons his soccer jersey in front of a goal. Jansen has played soccer with the St. Louis Football Club Academy for three years. “The advantage is that [STLFC] are good role models, who have helped me not just in soccer, but in life as a professional because that's their job. That's their life and that's what I want to do,” Miller said. “Seeing them and what they do every single day, that's my goal.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/IMG_9743-600x900.jpg)
![Acting as a “ruler” in an AP World History class activity, sophomore Ayra Ali interacts with sophomore Sarah Hall and other students in a social hierarchy activity in which they took on the roles of various people in ancient societies. The activity allowed students to better understand the differences between people in different social classes. “It made me more aware of what life was like in the past, like how women had no rights and peasants didn’t have many either,” Ali said. “[As a ruler] I had way more privileges than the rest of my class and they couldn't do as much as I could.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DSC_0107-900x600.jpg)
![Receiving the golden football, senior Chloe Hershenow is crowned Homecoming Queen alongside the maids on the 2018 Homecoming Court. This was Hershenow’s first time as a maid. “It was really sweet because everyone was cheering and really happy for me and I was kind of in shock,” Hershenow said. “It was really humbling too because it felt really odd to me to be chosen by my classmates [for Homecoming Queen.]”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/IMG_8632-900x599.jpg)
![Getting ready for their first session, the field hockey team meets other campers in preparation for training. The camp consisted of five training sessions over three days, totalling at just over 10 hours of practice. “We were barely in our dorm rooms because we were busy going to practices, games and of course meals,” senior and varsity captain Olivia Reimer said. “[Before this camp] we had never gone out of town with our team, so it helped us bond and learn more skills that we can incorporate into this season.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pasted-image-0-900x675.png)
![Sitting in Zoology, senior Kristin Priest holds her Crested Gecko during a lesson. Zoology students brought their pets to class in order to learn more about the different species. “It’s so fun and so therapeutic because [during] the whole class period while you're taking notes you can have your animal out on your desk and play with it,” Priest said. “It's relaxing because you get to take notes and pet a guinea pig at the same time.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DSC_2773-900x600.jpg)
![Cutting away from a Kirkwood player, senior and varsity defender Dylan Zurweller dribbles the ball down the field. The team went into overtime against Kirkwood Aug. 28 and ended the game with a score of 1-0. “We’re actually pretty used to [going into overtime]. Last year we went into overtime a lot, so we have a lot more experience with that, and we were pretty comfortable,” Zurweller said. “We used to not score at all, but throughout this season [our goal is] to start scoring a lot more.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0009-900x600.jpg)
![Celebrating an 18-8 victory over Lafayette May 9, the varsity boys baseball team cheers on sophomore pitcher Tyler Purdum for hitting two home runs. Along with the win against Lafayette, the team made history May 1 by winning their first conference title in over 15 years. “[The win] is a big boost going into districts this weekend,” junior outfielder Parker Adams said. “We’re confident because we just beat [Lafayette], so hopefully we’ll be able to win the district title and move on the the state tournament.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/0R4A4048.jpg)
![Handing a customer an iced coffee, junior Madison Terry works as a Blue Brew barista. Marketing II students helped create the coffee shop and have raised more than $300 for West Chest. “Next year we’re going to change a little bit of the set-up, we’re going to add more coffee, make things a little more complicated,” Terry said. “The job is really fast paced but it’s fun [because] you get to see everybody and work with all the other [Marketing II] students.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/MadisonTerry-900x598.jpg)
![Linking arms with fellow classmates, freshman Becca Vierck holds a sign that reads, “You may have the right to bear arms, but I have the right to get an education.” On April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, students staged a national walkout to demand action against gun violence. “Walking out was a crazy experience. I got to the marquee a little early and my heart was thumping out of my chest,” Vierck said. “This movement is important to me because we had a social media threat [at West], and that was right after Parkland, so I started thinking, ‘What if that was me?’”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/abc-900x600.jpg)
![Pulling ahead of the crowd, senior Matyas Csiki-Fejer competes in the 1,500 meter race at the 5th Annual Northwest Invitational Track Meet. Senior Cerow Aligab came in third at 4:19.07, and Csiki-Fejer placed fourth at 4:19.83. “I’d like it if we qualified for state in the 4x8, and individually, in the 800 [meters] and the mile. I’m working towards these goals by just going to practice everyday,” Csiki-Fejer said. “Give it your all. Focus on the hard workouts. Nothing else matters when you’re racing.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/NorthwestTrack-900x600.jpg)
![Junior Luke Griffith dodges defenders and passes the ball during a varsity lacrosse game April 5 against Fort Zumwalt West. West took the lead early on and won 14-2. "It was our first game [after spring break] so it was good to shake off the rust. Close to the end of the game I assisted [junior] Michael Imral; it was his first goal of the season, I was proud of him," Griffith said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/photo-of-the-week-4-6-900x600.jpg)
![Rallying across the street from the Parkway School Board Candidate Forum at the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, Parkway students, parents and alumni share signs that address white supremacy on the Board of Education. Students also protested and talked to voters at polling sites April 3 to help spread their message. “At about eight different locations, [students] protested basically all day, holding up signs, talking to voters and making sure that they knew to make an informed decision,” senior Cheryl Ma said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/29683472_422410541516458_2732205528126631375_n-900x600.jpg)
![Speaking about school safety at the League of Women Voters meeting March 12, candidate Amy Bonnett is running for one of the two open director positions on the Parkway School Board. All candidates, which includes Jeanie Ames, Matt Schindler, Jonathan Taylor, Kevin Seltzer and Bonnett answered audience questions at this forum. "I have always been a proud Parkway West alumna, and I care deeply about our schools and district," Bonnett said. "For the last three years, I have served as the [West Parent's Organization] President at Parkway West. Running for School Board is simply a natural extension of my service and enthusiasm for the district that has educated me and my children."](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SCHOL-900x585.jpg)
![Section editor Nell Jaskowiak gets duct-taped to the wall in a ‘trial run’ for the fundraiser being put on by the editorial staff in which teachers will be being duct taped. The fundraiser will be held in the cafeteria with donations to the teacher you want duct taped being accepted starting Jan. 22. “There was a second when they pulled the box out from under [my feet] and I wondered what the heck I was doing,” Jaskowiak said. “But sure enough, I stuck.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/duct-tape-900x600.jpg)
![In eight minutes, the Pathfinder editorial board and building manager Scott Bollmann duct taped arts and entertainment editor junior Nell Jaskowiak to the wall for a test run of the “Duct Tape Your Teacher to the Wall” fundraiser that will be next Friday, Jan. 26. The money raised from this fundraiser will go to their trip to New York to accept the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown Award, which is one of the highest awards in high school journalism. “It was pretty cool to know that basically just [the duct tape] on my arms and legs was holding me to a wall in the school basement,” Jaskowiak said. “We’ve made a thriving website and got Best of Sno last year and hopefully this year again. Now were one of the top 19 schools in the nation, which is insane, so we’d like to be able to go receive [the Crown Award].”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DSC_0065-1-900x600.jpg)
![Freshman Makenna Dunn works on her novel in the computer lab. Students were required to work on their novels at home each night to make steady progress. "It is pretty intimidating to be [writing a novel] in a month, but I feel like as I’ve gone on with it I’ve actually had a lot of fun writing on my own time," Dunn said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/unnamed-900x675.jpg)
