Cindy Phung, Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: they/she
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
Who is your favorite musician? Billie Eilish.
What gets you up in the morning? Besides a cup of coffee, I look forward to eating good food with friends and sleeping again.
What’s an unpopular opinion that you have? AI will take over and Cutelli will be its right hand man.
![Kicking off dress rehearsal, Mr. Longhorn contestant and senior Carson Hughes goes over the group routine alongside other competitors. With just two days of practice, all participants learned the entirety of their introductory dance, chose an occupation to embody and crafted skits for the show. “The best part of this [whole thing] was learning the dance and just practicing with the guys. We [have to] try not to laugh the whole time, but we're having a lot of fun,” Hughes said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_5112-1-e1732164157549-1200x812.jpg)
![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)
![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)
![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)
![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)
![“Winning [the Scholastic Gold Key Regional Award for Writing] feels incredibly rewarding. I dedicated a lot of time to putting my feelings into my work, especially ‘Melanin’, which was about my experience with racism and feeling like an outcast because of my skin color [and] primarily due to living in a white/homogenous area. My memoir reflects upon a time in which I lived in a small town that had close to zero people who looked like me and how that affected my mental health, especially how I felt about how I looked. But then I moved to a larger, more diverse city where there were more people similar to me and I had this moment where I realized that my features are unique and beautiful. I feel like a lot of people of color can relate to the feeling of overcoming internalized racism. It's truly validating to see my efforts recognized by the Scholastic Writing Contest especially because it gives me a platform to share my voice. ” - Farrin Rahman, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/KadamO_RahmanF3-Opal-Kadam-1-1200x800.jpg)
![“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)
![Drawing her bow, junior Gracie McLeod performs with chamber orchestra at the annual fall orchestra concert. To prepare for the concert, McLeod spent time during AcLab and practiced together with the symphonic orchestra. “[The concert] was pretty exciting. It was
the first concert of the year, and I was really excited to play ‘Just What I Needed’ because it's a well-known song. [But,] watching symphonic play was definitely my favorite part because they always play beautifully each time,” McLeod said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC0015-2-min-1200x818.jpg)
![Dropping his hotdog directly into the fire, senior Jake Boland bursts out laughing with his Adventure Pursuits classmates. As a team bonding exercise, they were tasked with building a fire using sticks collected the day prior. “We were having a good time grilling our hot dogs until mine got a little hot [and] snapped right into the fire. [I] had to go in there [with my] bare hands into the fire and save my wiener. I ate that wiener, [and] it was good. Then I tried to make a second hot dog, and that one fell directly into the fire, and I was not going in again,” Boland said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/potwfirepit2-1200x800.jpg)
![Leading the varsity football team, no. 4 player and junior Billy Lipscomb runs on to the field through two lines of marching band members. Varsity played against Pattonville on Oct. 18, marking the last home game of the regular season. “[The game] went well. I felt like I could have done better, but we executed the win. So that's all we needed,” Lipscomb said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0114-copy-1-1200x803.jpg)
![Arms outstretched, senior drum major Dom Perez stands high above the ground while conducting the marching band during rehearsal. To improve his performance and gain confidence as a leader, Perez attended a specialized camp over the summer with drum majors around the country. “[Being the drum major,] has been the biggest step out of my comfort zone in my entire life. I'm constantly learning from the things I do and trying to be a better person, better leader [and] better musician every day. It's the very end of the season, and I've put so many hours into learning how to be a good leader and conductor, and all that has helped me have the best season I can. I feel like I've given it my absolute best all the way through,” Perez said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DomPerezPOTW-1200x800.jpg)
![Touching various chemicals to the flame of a Bunsen burner, junior Julia Kiffer discovers how electrons impact the color of fire. In this chemistry lab, Kiffer explored eight different chemicals as her lab partner junior Kate Hardy made observations on each flame’s color and duration. "[The lab] was a lot of fun. I like doing experiments [and seeing how] things happen. We were exciting electrons and depending on the chemical, the color of the fire was different. There was a teal green chemical that was super cool,” Kiffer said](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0085-copy-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Raising her club above her head after following through in her swing, senior Karry Nickel’s gaze follows her ball’s trajectory. On Oct. 1, the varsity girls’ golf team had their second-to-last tournament as well as their senior night, in which they celebrated Nickel with hand-drawn shirts, flowers, balloons and a cookie cake. “This is my first year on the golf team. I played golf when I was younger, so I decided to come back for my last year because I knew [it] was fun. [This tournament] was one of our last matches all playing together, and it was kind of sad. [But,] we got second place and I played pretty well. I parred the last two holes, so that was a highlight,” Nickel said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0266-copy-1200x800.jpg)
![Swinging his arms to maintain momentum, freshman Maxwell Rahm races at his first-ever meet, the 2024 Stan Nelson Invitational. At the meet, Rahm persevered and placed 10th overall. “My legs were really tired that race, and I didn't like my performance, but I am glad I medaled. We have a meet tomorrow and my main goal is to keep going, even [when] it's hard,” Rahm said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/potw20-1200x800.jpg)
![Collecting drops of various chemicals, sophomore Avery Hermann prepares to catalyze a reaction in Honors Biology 1. To observe how heat can impact the germination of a seed, Hermann did background research on seven different liquids before experimenting with three of his options. “I liked seeing the chemical processes in person as opposed to videos or readings. It definitely amplified my learning experience [and] it was cool to [be able] to choose from the chemicals and hypothesize which [ones] worked best,” Hermann said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EditedAveryPOTW-1200x800.jpg)
![Cheering front and center, senior Jacksen McNeal steps up to lead the student section during the first home football game of the season. As one of the seniors running the Parkway West superfan Instagram account, McNeal helped pick the tropical theme and promote the game online. “It was super fun having the microphone [and] leading the student section — I’ve been here for four years watching all the other seniors do it [and] now I’m a senior. Even though we didn't win, we were all hyped and supported the team,” McNeal said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Aug30POTW-1200x800.jpg)
![Raising his arms, sophomore Ryan Mues cheers loudly for West’s opening pep rally. During the grade level song competition, Mues stayed energetic despite not knowing the sophomores’ song. “I don’t listen to a lot of pop music, but I was really excited when we won. I was next to some of my friends, and we were just getting as loud as possible and trying to get hype. The school events are always a lot of fun, and I’m trying to get more involved [this year],” Mues said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/POTW-copy-1200x753.jpg)
![Members of concert band work to play the soaring melodies of "Crowns of Glory" by Jack Wilds during their winter concert. Because of the piece's difficulty, the band had to work together extra diligently to make it sound concert-ready. "[Band has] helped me [with] teamwork because it's not just an individual thing. The whole group has to be put together to make something amazing," Concert Band member and sophomore Ella Bruner said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/unnamed-3-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Rising out of the water, girls swim and dive co-captain and senior Norah Rutkowski grasps a momentary breath of air as she swims the butterfly stroke. Last week, Rutkowski competed alongside seven of her teammates at the state swim meet, held at St. Peters RecPlex. “This year at state, I got [No. 1 in] the 100-yard [butterfly] and fourth [in] [the 200-yard [individual medley]. [Winning] was a relief because it was something I had been wanting to do again. Freshman year was weird because it was COVID-19, and my time was relatively slow for someone to win state in that event, so I wanted to prove I could do it again,” Rutkowski said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image1-2-1200x789.jpg)
![Raising her drink for a cheer with sophomore Sally Peters, sophomore Alessia Taranda tries the Lemon Galaxy Flower Tea at the boba shop Hitea. As the popularity of classic milk-based boba tea grows, many people remain unaware of the additional variety of drinks that boba shops offer, such as fruit teas or smoothies. “My favorite place used to be Hitea because my sister and I always went together, but Hitea is expensive,” Taranda said. “My favorite drink at Hitea is the strawberry milk tea, but I'm lactose intolerant, so I don't get it very often. Instead, I'll usually get a strawberry smoothie. [This time], I tried the Lemon Galaxy Flower Tea, [which] is pretty good and cool to look at.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image13-900x600.jpg)
![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.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/20221112_174031-1-Edited-900x675.png)
![Peeling off her gloves after examining a healthy lung compared to the lung of a smoker, junior Ione Cornelius explores High School Heroes training. High School Heroes is an organization that teaches middle school students about drug prevention that focuses on the dangers of e-cigarettes, marijuana and CBD. “When I was in sixth grade I thought [High School Heroes] was really fun and interesting. I learned a lot from it and looked up to the high schoolers who taught me. [I knew] I wanted to do that one day,” Cornelius said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG_9746-900x600.jpg)
![Holding her nose, senior Kennedy Whitaker peeks out of a porta-potty. Porta-potties were created to save time as temporary toilets — perfect for cross country meets. “They are very [beneficial] for my running because they allow me to feel good and not have to go to the bathroom when I run,” Whitaker said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_3943-900x633.jpeg)
![Sticking her tongue out playfully, 3-year-old Clara DAquino Lazarini tightly holds her sister. In Brazil, when the two shared a bedroom, many fun memories were made — however, there were the occasional light-hearted disputes. “I would always try to sneak into her bed at night because she had [the] top bunk, and I was so upset that I didn’t have it,” Clara said. “I used to talk while I was sleeping, and every morning she would tell me the things I said or did, and she would always pretend to be mad at me, but in the end, she'd laugh about it with me.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_6818-900x637.jpg)
![Right foot in and arms wrapping around her teammates, freshman Hayden Oakley mentally prepares to race. Oakley ran in the freshman race in the Stan Nelson Invitational at the Northwest Early Childhood Center, Sept. 10. “Before [the race,] I was a little nervous because it was only the second [meet,] it was bigger, and there were a lot of people there. When we went into the huddle, that helped motivate and calm me down. [Also,] it was nice because it just made me feel more confident about the race,” Oakley said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hayden-Oakley-900x600.jpg)
![Setting up the tent, sophomore Sydney Etchason holds the center pole in place. To assemble the tent, the team followed a routine that required cooperation and communication. “Putting up the tent was very important to our team, [the tent] was very big and everyone worked together which was why I loved setting up the tent,” Etchason said. “I guess the most fun part was when it all came together. In the beginning, it was just some fabric and stakes you put in the ground, and [when] it was all put together you could see the hard work that we put into it. It looked beautiful and made everyone happy.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Etchason-900x600.jpg)
![Striding across the turf, senior captain Lexi Etchason sports a hat for Fun Friday. To come up with theme ideas that made running more exciting, the captains took suggestions or searched TikTok trends. “It's a thing the coaches didn’t tell us to do and when someone forgot something, someone always had an extra. When you shared, you got to talk to that person. It brought us together because the more people who participated, the more fun it was,” Etchason said. “My favorite [Fun Friday theme] was the white lies. My sister and I had a really funny one, she and I both had 'The fastest Etchason' on our shirts. It was fun because she and I got to make it together.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Lexi-Etchason-hats-900x600.jpg)
![Throwing her hands up, freshman Isis Anable Montague engages in a chat with freshman Addie Smith. Team dinner was hosted at the Etchason’s the Friday evening before the Stan Nelson Invitational. “It was a great way to bond with the team, and I’ve never done it before. [Without the team dinners,] I probably wouldn't be as close to the team and everyone was there to talk and to motivate each other for the race. [The best part of the team dinners were] probably the conversations because they got so wild. They went all over the place and I had a lot of good laughs,” Anable Montague said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Isis-Anable-900x600.jpg)
![Sharpie in hand, junior Inaya Chishti signs this year’s pumpkin, a symbol of girl's cross country. After this year's pumpkin was revealed, everyone signed their name to promise a good season ahead. “The pumpkin was our mascot. She's been with us since day one, [and] I think she keeps us going,” Chishti said. “The most exciting thing about the pumpkin was just the fact that it brought the team together. It was something that we bonded over and even if you're really fast, or if you're slower, everybody could be included in loving the pumpkin. Everybody took turns carrying the pumpkin and everybody bonded over the fact that our mascot was an inanimate object.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Inaya-Chishti-900x600.jpg)
![Greeting students with a poem and a smile, junior Nicole Imral hands out one of many pocket-sized poems in her stack. Spread out near the school entrances, Imral and several other National English Honors Society (NEHS) members informed students and staff about the day and handed out poems. “I love poetry. I was excited about [Poem in Your Pocket Day] because it's fun to read a bunch of different poems you've never read before, especially short ones because it's easier to get through them,” Imral said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DSC_0093.JPG_-1-900x600.jpg)
![“[The best piece of advice I have received was] to let people do what they want. I think that would be the most impactful piece of advice I've ever been given, [by] my partner at the time. It's something she would say a lot whenever I would get upset. Eighth grade to freshman year was that whole period where I was really judgy and had really strong opinions on things that I shouldn't have. I was too much. I think if I met myself my freshman year, I would punch me in the face, but I think a lot of people would probably say that. I grew up in a household where [if] you’re a girl, you wear this and if you’re a dude, you wear that. And so all my ideas were just copy and pasted of [my family’s] ideas. It was just a preference that was embedded in my preteen years and that I ditched when I realized it was stupid. Look at me now. I'm not at all dressing stereotypically feminine. So I'd say that would be an example of gender roles and clothing being something I used to really be a badger on. Now I’m like whatever. I think [this advice] really helped me build character and become my true self. Because a lot of my judging people for what they were wearing was almost a projection of myself and being upset that I couldn't wear what I wanted to wear because of the way that I was raised. [I] took it out on other people that were able to do what they wanted. Getting this advice to stay in your lane was just good [for me], I took it and now I’m living better.” – Mac Winter, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/IMG_3160-900x675.jpg)
![Sophomore Inaya Chishti shows her cow, Rosie, at last year’s Washington Town & Country Fair, where she won first place. After having a great season with Rosie, Chishti has looked forward to showing Rosie and her baby, a cow-calf pair, because she has never shown the same animal twice in a row. “It’s just a lot of work that you pour into this one animal, and then you don't get to show them again because it's a lot on the animal. And so we normally just let them go into the field, but Rosie was a really good show animal. She showed herself, [and] I didn't need to be there. I could let go of the halter and just scratch her, and she would just stand there,” Chishti said. “I'm excited [to show her] because I love her, and she's actually named after me. My middle name is Rose.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/image000000-1-e1650295193713-900x638.jpg)
![Celebrating her journey, freshman Alexis Briner beams brightly with her family. Briner appreciates her parents greatly for their support during her journey with anorexia. “I was still in the depths of [the eating disorder] around the holidays. So there were a lot of meals and I remember I kind of panicked at a few of those. And so I would have to take time out and sometimes we'd have to leave the parties early. And then my parents would be upset because it was very time consuming, [but] they were troopers,” Briner said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/briner-feat-900x705.jpg)
![“[The best piece of advice I have received was] to let people do what they want. I think that would be the most impactful piece of advice I've ever been given, [by] my partner at the time. It's something she would say a lot whenever I would get upset. Eighth grade to freshman year was that whole period where I was really judgy and had really strong opinions on things that I shouldn't have. I was too much. I think if I met myself my freshman year, I would punch me in the face, but I think a lot of people would probably say that. I grew up in a household where [if] you’re a girl, you wear this and if you’re a dude, you wear that. And so all my ideas were just copy and pasted of [my family’s] ideas. It was just a preference that was embedded in my preteen years and that I ditched when I realized it was stupid. Look at me now. I'm not at all dressing stereotypically feminine. So I'd say that would be an example of gender roles and clothing being something I used to really be a badger on. Now I’m like whatever. I think [this advice] really helped me build character and become my true self. Because a lot of my judging people for what they were wearing was almost a projection of myself and being upset that I couldn't wear what I wanted to wear because of the way that I was raised. [I] took it out on other people that were able to do what they wanted. Getting this advice to stay in your lane was just good [for me], I took it and now I’m living better.” - Mac Winter, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/kwinter-1-900x675.jpeg)
