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
Using a micrometer, senior Nathan Thompson measures a keyguard made out of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a type of durable and elastic plastic. Thompson was able to turn a 3D model for his independent studies class into a tangible object by using a 3D printer. “It’s a slow but rewarding process. Without a 3D printer, it would have been very difficult to complete this project,” Thompson said.

Engineering for accessibility

Opal Kadam, Staff Writer • April 28, 2025

As problem-solvers, engineers often design solutions to help improve people’s quality of life; in fact, the device you are using right now to read this article was designed by an engineer with these...

After being qualified for the VEX robotics world championship, members of the 5430 robotics team remain humble because of their drive to collaborate and express their ideas with each other. For sophomore and Blue Brains member Esther Young (center), being the newest addition of her team has allowed her to meet people that she shares interests with. It has also allowed her to meet some of the nicest people she has ever met. “Being on the team is very energizing. I know for a fact my team definitely wants to take home trophies, but we also wanted to be qualified for world. That basically just means performing super well — maybe an award, but the experience is good too,” Young said.

Beyond the bots

Esta Kamau, Features/Humans of West Editor • April 17, 2023

Gearing up all four robots in preparation for the big day, members of the robotics program boarded a 5 a.m. bus March 5 and set off for Jefferson City, Mo. Each team — the Blue Brains (5430A), END GAM3...

Attending a meeting after school, sophomore Kunal Addagarla makes adjustments to their robot. Twisted Metal was not able to qualify for the 2019 Missouri State VEX Championship, but they will be newcomers at the CREATE US Open Robotics Championship displaying teams from across the U.S. and China. “I would say teamwork is very important because we have different roles to fulfill," Addagarla said. "I'm one of the programmers for my team and I want to make sure that my code works [so I have to] test the robot occasionally. [Then] the rest of my team is building or researching various ways we can build a better robot."

Robotics team prepares for international tournament

Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Section Editor • April 3, 2019

After not qualifying for the annual VEX Robotics Competition, senior and president Paden Davis and his team, Twisted Metal, are taking their talents to the CREATE US Open Robotics Championship April 4...