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
While students use social media to connect virtually to others and access information, social media platforms use algorithms to personalize the information presented to users. “I like that recommendations make it a lot easier to find content that interests me,” junior Michael Emerson said. “But it also frightens me because sometimes it makes it hard to get off the scrolling and clicking cycle and makes me feel like I‘m glued to my phone.”

Algorithms of students’ digital world

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst • January 10, 2023

Ever wonder who is creating the “For You” page on TikTok, “Home Tweets” on Twitter or “Suggested Reels” on Instagram — all tailored and personalized just for you? The mastermind behind all...

From sharing the same aisle to sharing the same passion, Megan and Madison Cauley fuel their twin flame through art. Since elementary school, the girls have grown their artistic spirit side by side and are now both looking to go into animation. “Madi is one of my biggest inspirations and motivators, there's always something we can learn from each other,” Megan said. (Photo courtesy of Madison Cauley)

Kindred spirits: Sisters Megan and Madison Cauley share an artistic passion

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer • March 1, 2022

Ever since childhood, when they worked on the same canvas, juniors Megan Cauley and Madison Cauley brought their interests and emotions to life through a shared love for art. The two continue to inspire...

Posing for a picture, junior Lexi Lutz wears thrifted clothes to promote her brand, Divine Minds. Junior Thomas Anderson and Lutz ran similar businesses and collaborated to advertise each other's items. “[In Spark!] we get unstructured business time to work on our business, so Claire [LeDuc] and I went out and did a photoshoot in our clothing,” Lutz said.

A passion for fashion

Ava Prsha, CJ1 Writer • February 9, 2022

When junior Lexi Lutz and senior Claire LeDuc went shopping, they felt like they couldn’t find what they wanted. So they decided to create it themselves. LeDuc and Lutz started a clothing business through...

Posing for a picture, seniors Claire Folkins and Lauren Beach wear their handmade hoodies from their small business @sundaymorning_stl. Folkins and Beach knew their target market and saw the opportunities from starting their own business. “We want [our customers] to feel like they are living like their Pinterest board,” Folkins said. “We found a way to make the sweatshirts many teens want, affordable and customizable which is different from a professional online shop.”

Creating sweatshirts and smiles; a small business inspires students during difficult times

Maddy Bach, Yearbook Contributor • January 25, 2022

With Instagram inspiration and COVID-19 boredom, seniors Claire Folkins and Lauren Beach noticed their friends’ desire for Shein prices and put their digital cutting Cricut machine to work. Customers...

Unofficial Instagrams have swept through the school to entertain the student body.

The unofficial Instagrams of West

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • January 11, 2022

Student-run Instagram accounts have been on the rise and our school has been no stranger to them. With accounts dedicated to sleeping students, teacher quotes and even promoting local canned food drives,...

Photo II student Bri Davis uses this photo to answer 'how has quarantine affected her?' This is one of three pictures she took that got posted on the account for the assignment. "I edited the sides to kind of shut out everything on the outside to really emphasize that this is what I am doing," Davis said. "There's nothing else to it. I am just stuck in the house with the same objects."

Photography students stay connected through an Instagram account

Olivia Bradshaw, Staff Writer • April 14, 2020

A red shoe bag lined the whiteboard in the Photography classroom for students to place their phones in during the hour. However, during times of quarantine, the device that was prohibited in the classroom...

Sophomore Emily O’Connor smiles in a photo that she edited. O’Connor hopes that her posts have a positive effect on her followers. “Sometimes it’s hard if I’m about to post something and I think, ‘are people going to like this?’ or, ‘are people going to think I’m weird for posting this?’, but then I think about how it could affect someone and know that it could affect them positively and I just go for it,” O’Connor said.

Inside look: student influencers make the most of social media

Leah Schroeder, Managing Editor-in-Chief • September 27, 2019

Kylie Jenner. David Dobrik. Emma Chamberlain.  With social media being so prominent in today's society, everyone has heard the names of these Instagram influencers. Even if not everyone knows their...

Posing with a bok choy, Webster Groves freshman Bree Tokraks and sophomore Kathryn McAuliffe relish in their inside jokes from Kode with Klossy, a free two-week summer camp designed to empower teen girls interested in coding. McAuliffe discovered the program through Peerlift, an organization that strives to help prepare high school students for the future. “I’d like to do Kode with Klossy next year, and I will apply for sure, but there are a couple of other opportunities I’m more interested in. I don’t even know what those opportunities might be, but I’d like to do something more in my interests with journalism or activism,” McAuliffe said.

Sophomores Kathryn McAuliffe and Maddy Truka empower others through Peerlift

Nayeon Ryu, Video Editor • October 8, 2018

While most high school students look forward to the awaited spring break trip and forgetting about school, sophomore Kathryn McAuliffe used this time to further her preparation for college. While touring...

Applying eye shadow, senior Bailey Goughenour completes a makeup look. Goughenour started her makeup Instagram and YouTube accounts this summer in order to further her hobby and do more freelance makeup. “As of right now, I’d say my Instagram account is what I’m most proud of because I put a lot of effort into it, and it’s really satisfying to see people following me, commenting or direct messaging me asking if I can do their makeup,” Goughenour said.

Senior Bailey Goughenour shares makeup talents through freelance and social media

Sabrina Bohn, Managing Editor-in-Chief • September 26, 2018

After experimenting with makeup in middle school for fun, senior Bailey Goughenour began doing her friends' makeup for homecoming and other events. Now, she does freelance as a self-taught makeup artist,...

Debuting her song “You and Me,” junior Charlize Chiu plays the guitar for her first live recording on Youtube. Chiu spent almost three months working on additional verses and instrumental parts. “The most challenging aspect of running social media accounts is finding ways to stay motivated and please everyone on each platform, including myself,” Chiu said. “Sometimes people don’t like the same things as I do, and that makes things hard.”

Junior Charlize Chiu explores the impacts of growing social media accounts

Carly Anderson, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • August 24, 2018

Growing up, junior Charlize Chiu spent her days watching Youtubers like nigahiga, Smosh and Shane Dawson. Now, she finds herself following in their footsteps with her growing Instagram and Youtube accounts....

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