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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

A collage of coasters painted by the Special Education program.

Special education students coast through communication skills

Sara Albarcha, Staff Writer May 14, 2021

At 12:50 p.m. room 2302 changes from a classroom to a full-fledged business operation for students in Jessica Bowman’s Job Experience class.  Bowman found an innovative way to teach life skills,...

Pouring out sauce into individual containers, alumni Eli Basler performs this task daily. Since the beginning of COVID-19, Dalie’s stopped giving bottles of sauce to customers, and instead they must order the sauce with their food. “A lot of stuff has definitely slowed us down,” Eli said. “ We have had to do a little more work but it’s a good thing that we’re worried about our customers safety.”

The Dalie’s dilemma: How COVID-19 impacted a family owned business

Michael Lolley, Staff Writer May 10, 2021

Last year, most businesses had to close their doors for a few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while others still have theirs closed today. One family owned restaurant, Dalie’s Smokehouse, closed...

Our social responsibility is to protect our community and get vaccinated.

We have a responsibility to get vaccinated

Pathfinder Editorial Board April 30, 2021

365 days ago we were safe in our homes. From late March to mid-May, our community experienced a stay-at-home order and, well, stayed at home. We watched Tiger King, baked banana bread and went on family...

Taking a selfie with fellow teachers, librarian Lauren Reusch displays her vaccination card. Reusch travelled with English teachers Erin Fluchel and Shannan Cremeens to Illinois to be vaccinated. “I am most excited to go out to eat in an actual restaurant with my husband,” Reusch said.

The vaccination situation

Leah Schroeder, Managing Editor-in-Chief April 29, 2021

With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, more and more individuals have gained access to a vaccination. However, the experiences of students and staff have varied greatly. From types of vaccines received,...

Senior Sarenna Wood receives her COVID-19 vaccine at Mercy Hospital.

From donuts to paid leave, what can you get with your COVID-19 Vaccine?

Sara Albarcha, Staff Writer April 19, 2021
In Missouri, all people above the age of 17 are eligible to register for the vaccine. As vaccinations expand in Missouri, many establishments are offering discounts and freebies with proof of vaccination. Read below to see what different establishments are offering. 
Lined up on the brick wall behind the baseball field, fans and younger players sit and watch varsity defeat CBC 16-6, Wednesday, March 31. The team rallied for eight runs in an explosive fifth inning, leading to an inevitable mercy-rule finish after five innings. “The student section at baseball games was really laid back and a lot of fun as we talked about the game more and explained certain situations to people who were confused or interested in learning,” senior fan Carson McCormack said. “The fans were able to be around the great weather and talk with friends.”

No spectator regulations leads to huge fan turnout at varsity baseball games

Michael Lolley, Staff Writer April 9, 2021

Varsity baseball has started their season with seven wins and one loss, their best start since 2006 when the team finished 14-10. A big difference between this year and years past? Fan turnout. Because...

Photo illustration of a family with COVID-19 quarantining in separate rooms.

Living with COVID-19

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief March 2, 2021

Turning on the news, you are greeted by reporters reciting recent statistics about COVID-19. Hospitals care for an endless amount of patients as they start to overflow. Stickers carefully placed six feet...

Celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, senior Anjali Patnana poses with her family. Patnana practices Hinduism, and Diwali is a big celebration with family. “Diwali is so much fun, it’s nice [to spend time] with family,” Patnana said.

Goodbye for now: senior Anjali Patnana reflects on being separated from her family

Gabrielle Oliver, Staff Writer March 1, 2021

It was a warm night in Mumbai, India. All of senior Anjali Patnana’s family was gathered around at the conclusion of her family’s annual trip to India in summer 2019, saying their goodbyes. Wiping...

Engaging in her online Honors English II class in the first quarter, sophomore Hannah Wagner searches to find the perfect word to add to her essay. With the first half of the school year being online, it was a different experience to do school work from her home. “I definitely think working at home was more enjoyable because I felt more comfortable writing at home,” Wagner said.

From private to public: Hannah Wagner joins the sophomore class in the middle of a pandemic

Sam Hipp, Staff Writer February 23, 2021

Walking into her first day of school on Jan. 19, sophomore Hannah Wagner found herself at a new home after previously attending Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill school. Being her second first-day, Wagner was...

Principal Jeremy Mitchell measures the distance between desks to aid in contact tracing. After measuring the desks, Mitchell gave the information to Assistant Principal Kate Piffel, who used seating charts to determine close contacts. “Dr. Mitchell measures the desks to see how far apart they are because if they are within six feet [there is a] 98% chance that those students are going to have to quarantine if they're that close to another student,” Piffel said.

Behind the scenes of COVID-19 contact tracing

Ellie West, Staff Writer February 22, 2021

Assistant Principal Kate Piffel sits at her desk, a phone balanced next to her ear. An overstuffed black binder lays open on her desk and she reads something from it, listening thoughtfully to the response...