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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

Sakenah Lajkem

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer

Pronouns: she/her

Grade: 12

Years on staff: 2

What is your favorite piece of literature? Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz.

Who is your hero? Jesus Christ.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? My mom's mashed potatoes.

All content by Sakenah Lajkem
Senior Kylie Secrest volunteers at the blood drive signup table.The table provided students aged 16 and up with information about the drive and assisted them in the signup process. “We decorated the stand in the lunchroom with heart related or red decorations from either Dollar Tree or Five Below,” Secrest said. “This year was my first year doing [the blood drive] and it was fun. I got to be able to meet new people and help out the community.”

What made the Blood Drive

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer
March 6, 2024
Teachers recount where exactly they were during the 9/11 attacks, 22 years later.

Where were you during 9/11?

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer
September 11, 2023
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to memorize the Quran — the holy book of Islam. It has 604 pages and 114 chapters. Memorizing the holy book has a strong significance in my religion and it is very rewarding. I recite it to this day to make sure I don’t forget it. I’m the co-founder and vice president of the Muslim Student Association [at our school]. It is a club formed to create a community for Muslim students here at West. I [moved] to West from an Islamic private school and homeschooling program, so I naturally yearned for that consolidated Muslim community at West when I joined in-person [school]. I got to know many Muslims at the school, but they were scattered. In Islam, forming an ummah (a muslim community) is very significant. However, when I first came to West, I saw that there was a population of Muslim [students], but they didn’t form one solid group. So, along with one of the new senior Muslim friends that I made, we took it upon ourselves to create a club forming a solid Muslim community, and it has been great. We’ve done volunteer opportunities, projects and even Islamic board games. It really has been such a fun experience that I want to keep up next year.” – Zahraa Sajid, 12

Zahraa Sajid

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer
August 25, 2023
“It’s really important for me to be involved in high school, meet new people and try new things. Trying new things is always really hard, and I don't like doing it, but I know that it builds character, and makes trying [new things] later much easier. I knew that I wanted to have a foundation here [at school], get involved, try new things and make friends with people. After COVID, I was still signed up to try out for Color Guard, and I thought, ‘I might as well just go.’ No one goes into [the team] knowing how to do it, so it's like a challenge. You have to figure it out and adapt to what you're being asked. I love the team so much, and I love every single person. I'd go up to [all of them] at school and I'd hang out with any of them.” – Cora Tiemeier, 12

Cora Tiemeier

Sakenah Lajkem, Staff Writer
August 24, 2023
Junior Nicholas Herman stands in front of a white wall with a colorful mural of a world map painted on it. Herman stands in front of the Eastern Hemisphere.

A Tale of Three Cities

Sakenah Lajkem, CJ1 Writer
May 17, 2023
Performing at the Spring Pep Assembly, junior and co-captain of the Parkway South-West Winter Guard Cora Tiemeier takes center stage alongside fellow members on the rifle line. With this season being her sixth, Tiemeier played the lead in their routine, “Pity Party.” “I will remember this team; they have my whole heart. I love each one of them and the connections we made so dearly. It's really sad when the season ends because you don't see your teammates every day at school,” Tiemeier said.

[Photo] Spin it

April 12, 2023
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Sakenah Lajkem