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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

Reflecting on previous years, junior Bethany Liao looks at plaques in the Speech and Debate room. With her partner, senior Yein Ahn, Liao earned first place in Public Forum debate at the MSHAA Speech and Debate District Tournament on March 6 and 7. “I really want us to do good, and, even if we don't, I want it to be a memorable experience for [Ahn] because this is our last debate together,” Liao said.

Arguments and adventures

Ruthvi Tadakamalla, Editor-In-Chief April 23, 2026

Sounds of binders clicking, gavels banging and pages flipping fill English teacher and Speech and Debate coach Cara Borgsmiller’s room. As April 24 approaches, speakers and debaters are continuing to...

Junior Bethany Liao and senior Yein Ahn are recognized at the spring pep rally for achieving first place in the MSHAA Speech and Debate District Tournament. Juniors Lillian Chen and Giuli Ghiretti, seniors Sravya Reddy Guda and Ryan Shabani and sophomore Samuel Huang were also recognized at the event for their achievements. “I feel like debate isn’t something that gets recognized a lot, and some of my peers don’t know how much work I put in. So it was exciting to be recognized in front of the whole school, and it also motivated me for the state competition,” Ahn said.

Making their case

Ruthvi Tadakamalla, Editor-In-Chief April 18, 2026

On March 6 and 7, the Parkway West Speech and Debate Team competed in the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHAA) District Tournament at Clayton High School. Competitors earned the ability...

Performing at the Fabulous Fox for the 16th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition, junior Alisha Yin delivers her Program Oral Interpretation titled “Ways to Find Your Voice.” Yin centered her piece around Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and First Amendment rights. “[Yin] has worked really hard to get here. She is persistent. She doesn’t give up. Even if something seems out of reach, she does a lot better than other people at always trying to [reach her goals]. She always advocates for what she believes, [so it] has always reflected her ideas or priorities,” junior Lillian Chen said.

Speaking for the silenced

Sage Kelly, Features/News Editor February 22, 2026

Thousands of eyes train on thick, blue curtains. People shift in their seats while emcee Ben Nordstrom transitions between acts. Finally, he announces, “Please welcome to the stage 16-year-old Alisha...

During Creative Writing, senior Michael Collop experiments with different poetry styles. For Collop, the class feels like a break from the fast pace of his other courses. “[There is] no stress,” Collop said. “It's definitely a lot more laid back [than an AP class], and it's enjoyable. It's probably one of my favorite classes.”

From sports to screenplays

Zaina Hasan and Jude Taher December 13, 2025

At Parkway West, English courses for upperclassmen don’t look the way they used to. When English IV was removed as a senior course option in 2023, the English department needed a way to maintain high...

A stadium full of Chiefs fans with the words "Run it back."

They ran it back

Will Gonsior, Opinions/A&E Editor February 13, 2024

A game for the ages America saw a thriller on Feb. 11 as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII, a game that featured two Super Bowl-record field goals, as...

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

On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked and sent to crash into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the White House. While the White House was spared from the attack, the other two targets were hit,...

Editors for the Parkway West Pathfinder help organize the Pathfinder product drive. The team collected and sorted donations from each English teacher’s room after school from Nov. 14 - Nov. 21. “Our goal was originally to give each family seven additional items for the month of December, and we have far surpassed our goal now,” Pathfinder editor and senior Elle Rotter said. “We passed that goal by the third day of the drive, and it was amazing how many people donated.”

Food feuds: you made an impact

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief November 30, 2022

With your help, the Pathfinder collected over 3,000 items to donate to the Parkway Food Pantry, surpassing our goal of 1,051. This means each Parkway Food Pantry family will have 20 additional items to...