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
Holding the team trophy, members of the Chess Team pose for a photo. The team finished third at the Missouri State Scholastic Chess Championship at Battle High School, Columbia, Mo. The tournament was held in-person for the first time in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It's definitely different from playing chess solo, you have to coordinate with each other, prep each other up, and make sure that we all perform well in order to attain a trophy position,” Chess Team captain and junior Wilson Gao said. “While the effort to win is important, the more important thing is having fun.”

Moving on from winning accolades at State Chess Championship

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst • May 19, 2022

Juniors Wilson Gao and Alan Song and freshmen William Mayer and Prateek Nemmali play a timed match at chess practice during Academic Lab (Ac Lab). Gao appreciated Ac Lab practices as they provided a break from the rest of the school day. “It's just talking with people and playing well, just playing chess. People don't always know how to play chess, it can be a super foreign game. The interactions we have with people and how we can just play chess is fun,” Gao said.

Club meeting limits, responsive scheduling, other Academic Lab updates

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • February 10, 2022

After countless double scheduled club meetings and a lack of student attendance accountability during the first semester, Ac Lab schedule will now take place through Infinite Campus. Club meetings will...

During Ac lab time, sophomore Raj Jaladi plays a game of chess in the library. Jaladi joined the chess club before winter break and has learned different strategies from his peers and YouTube videos. “I think it challenges my intellectual ability and there is a lot to learn. A lot of games there is just an objective to [achieve] but in chess there are variations and it’s an endless ocean,” Jaladi said. “I’ve been playing a lot, maybe too much actually. I’ve made friends with a lot of people in the club and I learned a lot by playing against them.”

Photo of the Week – Feb. 4

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • February 4, 2022

Challenges of chess

Challenges of chess

Sarah Burnham, Staff Writer • April 1, 2015

Sophomore Liza Tarakanova, new to playing chess, carefully strategizes her next move while playing one of her first games as part of chess club. When Tarakanova started playing chess last semester, she...