![“When I was in eighth grade, my grandma passed away. My grandma lived right next to me, and when she passed away, it was very strange to see someone else moving into [her] house. After she passed, my grades started dropping and I took her death very hard. I was very close to my grandma my whole life. As a child, I would go to her house and make chocolate chip cookies; which helped me bond with her. She showed me how important it is to donate and be active in the Church. My grandma helped me grow closer to God because she was very close with Him. She taught me how to be a better person.” - Juli Moellenhoff, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/image1-7-900x600.jpg)
![“[Baking] is a stress reliever, and it's something I do in any mood. It’s a way I express my love because I bake cookies for people I care about and always get excited when they try a new recipe. I bake oatmeal cookies for the healthier people in my family or chocolate chip cookies. I even bake brownies sometimes. I love getting different types of chocolates. I usually get the Tonys chocolate from Whole Foods, and I cut them up. I like experimenting with new recipes. I always love trying new recipes. I'm open to anything. It took me over four years of trying to make perfect cookies. [I would tell other people] to never give up, always try new things, experiment and have fun.” - Gracie Mcleod, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DSC_0010-900x600.jpg)
![Checking the thermometer, sophomore Disa Tiemeier makes sugar glass while experimenting in the kitchen. Tiemeier relied on baking to cope with xyr Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). “I bake or nap to take breaks because pulling myself out of a [situation] is helpful. I've been baking my entire life, and I enjoy anything [culinary] altogether,” Tiemeier said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Resized_20221102_220742-900x900.jpeg)
![Unwrapping the finished product, senior Triniti Cook admires the pumpkin pie she baked for Thanksgiving dinner. Cook went to her aunt's house for Thanksgiving dinner. “My favorite part about making [the pie] was listening to Christmas music and singing as I made it. We do it every year and it gets me in the Christmas spirit,” Cook said. “I love this time of year, it makes me so happy and I get excited for the family gatherings and gifts.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IMG-5012-900x675.jpg)
![Performing as Nibs in “Lost Girl,” junior Avery Hermann inspects a drawing of Neverland made by the show’s main character, Wendy Darling. Hermann not only acted in “Lost Girl”, but he also served as assistant director of the show. “I found ‘Lost Girl’ to be a beautiful and touching story, and I’m really glad I got to be a part of it. My favorite part of the show [was] my work as assistant director. I spent a lot of time working with every [cast member] on character, deliveries and emotional development. It was so amazing to see these brilliant actors come to life on stage in such a colorful way,” Hermann said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC_1258-Enhanced-NR-1-1200x798.jpg)
![Gazing up from the stage, junior Joseph McCurdy who played Peter Pan in the school play, Lost Girl, sits next to senior Juliana Rogers, who plays Wendy Darling, during a theater rehearsal. McCurdy’s passion for theater began when he observed a West High production in middle school. “I've been in the high school theater program since I was a freshman. I've always loved theater, but [what prompted me to join] was [when] I went to see [a performance here] when I was in middle school, and it was super cool,” McCurdy said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_6535-1200x798.jpeg)
Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, Parkway West’s theater department traveled through the life of Wendy Darling, in their newest production. “Lost Girl,”...
From down the hall, bursts of laughter and applause spill out of a classroom unlike a typical history class. Inside, instead of sitting through...