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
All content by Kristen Witt
Junior TJ Polack sprints toward the finish line at the annual Parkway Quad 5K. He led a victory for his team in the junior varsity race, finishing in first place. “I've been loving cross country a lot more. Running was never something I was too particularly good at, and it’s been something I really wanted to change over the course of my high school career. Coming from middle school, I found it a little embarrassing how slow I was, so I made it a point that I didn't want to feel that way [again],” Polack said. (Photo courtesy of Kristen Witt)

Reaching new heights, Watts sprints the 300 meter hurdles at the 2023 Northwest Invitational track meet. With her best time at 48.27 seconds, Watts qualified for the 2022 MSHSAA Track and Field State Championships and placed 11th as a junior. “My greatest accomplishment is competing at [the state championships]. I remember breaking two personal records at Conference and medaling in all of my events and feeling on top of the world. I knew at that moment that I had a chance to go to state. My favorite track memory is running the 300 hurdles at sectionals and getting fourth, barely making it to state. I remember finishing the race and running toward my hurdles coach [Kat] Briggs and yelling ‘Did I make it? Did I make it?’ She gave me the biggest smile and hug and said I made it to state,” Watts said.

[Photo] Senior Cece Watts named St. Louis Post Dispatch Scholar Athlete

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer
April 27, 2023
Propelled into the air, senior Donateaus Moore jumps over a hurdle, leaving the other racers behind. At the Henle Holmes Invite 2023, Moore placed first in the 300-meter hurdles and second in the 110-meter hurdles. “My biggest weakness is my trail leg, the leg that’s behind me when I hurdle. I hit it a lot, and it’s bled about five times this year,” Moore said.

[Photo] Setting the bar high

April 19, 2023
With the sun setting in the background, English ASC Kristen Witt and her husband, Aaron Witt, wear matching team shirts for the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival. In 2021, they ran out of time for matching team shirts and instead wore ‘West is Best’ shirts, while in 2022, they made custom couple shirts. “This year, [Aaron] decided to have them made. On the front, it said ‘Team Witt,’ and on the back, it had ‘24,’ for how many years we have been married, and it [reads], ‘24 years of playing in the sand together,’” Kristen said.

[Photo] Sand-sational castles

March 2, 2023
Station in the sand, a tugboat sand sculpture, reflects the effort of English ASC teacher Kristen Witt and her husband, Aaron Witt. Considering the time limit, competitors and unpredictability of the sand, there was a lot of pressure in the competition, “I think there was a more serious attitude than we needed to have, or at least I did. We were so focused on our project that we didn't talk to the people around us, and getting to chat with them a little bit would have been more fun. A lesson we have is just to have fun,” Aaron said.

As their first sand sculpture competition ends, English ASC teacher Kristen Witt and her husband capture their creation standing tall. The two had only taken one lesson before participating in the amateur division 2021. “We had a moat that came over and out of our sandcastle, and it collapsed. We kept trying to rebuild and rebuild it, [but] that part didn't work. We had to do something else, so we built a smaller bridge that went over. It wasn't how we wanted it to be, but we did our best,” Kristen said.

Shoveling sand into the first form of their sculpture, English ASC teacher Kristen Witt works with her husband, Aaron Witt, as partners in their second sand-sculpting competition. Over the years, Aaron has learned to take his wife’s suggestions and put them into reality, but regarding sandcastle-making, he also was interested. “I think [sandcastles] can be remarkable. It's so simple. [It is] essentially [only] sand; it's hard to believe that the stuff that crumbles through your fingers and toes can somehow form into giant structures. The idea of learning how to do that, and the tricks and tips, were pretty interesting,” Aaron said.

Rounding the home stadium, Beveridge trains with alumni Zeke Hathaway in his junior cross-country season. A personal tradition initially sparked Beveridge’s win. “Every year around Thanksgiving, I decide to run the farthest I have ever run. Two years ago, I ran a half-marathon unofficially. The next year I ran 14 miles with [Hathaway], and last year [Hathaway] and I ran 17. So this year, I signed up for a full marathon. It’s all for fun, but ultimately I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, especially because people doubt I can.”

[Photo] A Day of Firsts

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer
February 21, 2023
At the Suburban Conference Green Pool, a track and field competition at Ladue High School, senior Micah Harris starts the first leg in his 4x200 meter relay. Harris, along with seniors Ja’marion Wayne and Tre Bell and junior Brian Cambell, ran a time of 1:30:47 and placed first overall. “In the moment, all I could think about was running my quickest, so we could have a decent lead. It felt good seeing we placed first,” Harris said.

[Photo] Senior Micah Harris’ journey to Louisiana State University

Samari Sanders, Staff Writer
May 27, 2022
Freshman Brenden Porter relaxes after competing in the Stan Nelson Invitational Saturday, Sept. 11. “I was proud of myself for doing a good job. Also, [I have] respect for all the other [runners], because it’s definitely not an easy thing to do,” Porter said.

[Photo] Freshman finishes first at first-ever cross country meet

Tiffany Ung, Staff Writer
October 8, 2021
Freshman Brenden Porter relaxes after competing in the Stan Nelson Invitational Saturday, Sept. 11. “I was proud of myself for doing a good job. Also, [I have] respect for all the other [runners], because it’s definitely not an easy thing to do,” Porter said.

Competing at his last state meet, senior Thomas Andersen races to the finish line. Andersen found himself less prepared for the race as he would have hoped and ended the race with a time of 17:10. “I had a close group of friends and family at the meet. I was thankful that they knew of my disappointment and chose to talk about other things to lift my spirits,” Andersen said. “I wanted to prove to myself and others that I was much better than that. I told myself I’m not giving up and I’m going to keep running until I achieve my goals.”

[Photo] Fall Sports Recap

Drew Boone, Zoe DeYoung, and Grace Kaempfe
November 15, 2020
Sophomore Ben Taylor prepares to cross the finish line at a cross country meet.

[Photo] Plant-powered athletes: Students share their experiences in sports with modified diets

Susie Seidel, Convergence Media Editor
January 13, 2020
Freshmen Daniel Yu and Jon Ma participate in a warmup relay on the third day of track practice.

[Photo] High expectations made for the upcoming track and field season

Sarah Lashly, COPY COACH
March 15, 2017
Racing ahead, varsity runners and seniors Rikita Saunders and Maggie Morse compete at the Stan Nelson Invitational.

[Photo] Girls cross country enters championship season

October 21, 2016
Cleaning out their watermelon helmets, freshman Claire Smout, sophomore Betsy Wait, juniors Maggie Hulen and Maggie Morse, seniors Rachel Osborne, and Abby Allgeyer, and Coach Kevin John, prepare to put the melon shells on their heads. “I was one of the first people to transform their watermelon into a watermelon hat,” Osborne said. Osborne drove home wearing the watermelon hat that evening.

[Photo] Track team bonds in watermelon run

Claire Smout, AWARDS COORDINATOR
May 14, 2016
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[Photo] Stan Nelson Invitational Meet Highlight Video

Grant Aden, SPORTS EDITOR
September 22, 2015
Junior Grant Aden completes a pass to sophomore Blake Selm in a game of touch football. At 4:30 p.m., the team reconviened at Ferris Park in Ballwin to have a picnic and spend time together.

[Photo] Gallery: Boys Cross Country at Stan Nelson Invitational

Jacob Cupps, Editor-in-Chief
September 18, 2015
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[Photo] Coed track launches new season

Betsy Wait, MANAGING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
March 7, 2016
Huddling before the race, the girls cross country team chants "Carpe diem, let's go West!"

[Photo] Girls cross country ends the season drought

Allie Collins, Photo Editor
November 15, 2014
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[Photo] Athlete Spotlight: Andrew Osborne

Jacob Cupps, Editor-in-Chief
November 21, 2014
Senior captain Philip Aden wears the columbia blue varsity jersey as he races in the Randy Seagrisk invitational

[Photo] Athlete Spotlight: Philip Aden

Grant Aden, SPORTS EDITOR
September 26, 2014
Blake Selm, Andrew Lofgren, Kyle Andersen, and Matthew Dixon run ahead together as the race begins.

[Photo] Boys Freshman Cross Country end winless drought

Grant Aden, SPORTS EDITOR
September 2, 2014
Senior Maddy Brown and sophomore Natalie Rath sprint toward the finish of the 2.2 mile race at Red & Blue night on Aug. 15.

[Photo] Rath races forward with girls Cross Country

Grant Aden, SPORTS EDITOR
August 26, 2014