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
Sharing his Pakistani culture through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange & Study (YES) program, sophomore Muzamil Umar wears a shalwar kameez and a khapol to school. Umar has enjoyed sharing his culture through clothes and presentations to his classes. "When people think of Pakistan, the common thought is terror or terrorists. I don’t want people to think that is what Pakistan is all about. We don’t want people to be afraid of our country,” Umar said. “I am so grateful to change the misconception of American people because many people had wrong thoughts about the people in Pakistan."

Foreign exchange student Muzamil Umar hopes to change perceptions of Pakistan

Caroline Briscoe, Convergent Media Writer • February 14, 2019

Sixteen-year-old Muzamil Umar traveled 7,556 miles across the globe from Pakistan to attend school as a foreign exchange student his sophomore year. When Umar was just a kid, he received information...

Junior Aim Achalapong plays synthesizer at the Edwardsville Tiger Ambush Classic Marching Band Festival. Achalapong learned to play piano in Thailand and decided to join the marching band for the year she was here. "In Thailand, if we don't know someone, we won't talk to them," Achalapong said. "Here, a lot of people I don’t know still talk to me. People are very friendly here and it makes me feel welcomed."

From playing piano in Thailand to marching in the band

Anna Pavlisin, STAFF WRITER • October 26, 2018

While living with alumnus Luke Whitten’s family for her junior year, Thai exchange student Aim Achalapong has joined the marching band as a synthesizer player. After encouragement from her dad to...