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
A pile of Advanced Placement (AP) study books sit on a library desk. When taking AP classes, many students sacrifice other areas of their lives to keep their grades up. “It's not the fact that I am taking an AP class. I am spending more time doing the work for school than I would spend time with friends and family,” senior Noah Schell said. “It is a sacrifice I made and realized after signing up for the classes. Over the years, I have devised a system of managing my time, which sometimes means I don’t get all of the work done.”

Balancing brain power: the need to prioritize mental health over AP classes

Pathfinder Editorial Board • January 19, 2023

In 2022, 424 Parkway West students took 801 Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, meaning that most took two or more tests, and over a third of the student population enrolled in an AP class. Because course...

Our daily lives are consumed by the need to produce more; in turn, this alters our priorities and negatively impacts our health and relationships.

Busy culture is killing us

Zoe DeYoung, Staff Writer • October 29, 2020

I had a conversation recently that baffled me. We were discussing our schedules, and a peer shared with me that, alongside their AP-filled class schedule, they were holding down a part-time job, participated...

A photo illustration of letters scattered around an 'A' and 'P.'

Stop forcing kids into AP

Pathfinder Editorial Board • January 13, 2020

Last semester, my AP English Language and Composition class was instructed to complete a survey regarding access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses. After a slew of leading questions expressing the perceived...

Science teacher Tony Piccinni informs students more about AP Environmental Science at the AP fair.

AP classes replace honors courses

Gabby Leon, STAFF WRITER • March 7, 2017

Even with over 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the West curriculum, only 28 percent of the student population enrolls in at least one AP class during their years in high school. To encourage...