Students blast Spotify through their AirPods as they walk through the halls. Some play calm melodies when doing their school work or uplifting music at the gym. For students, like junior Katherine Goodwin,...
Whether you are building gingerbread houses with German Club, volunteering for NHS or playing sports with Leisure Club, there’s something for everyone. Clubs, while beneficial for college resumes, are...
Decorating the house, cooking food and getting dressed up, Hindu students prepare to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.
Diwali is a major Indian holiday that typically falls around late autumn...
As the horn sounds for the second time to alert everyone of the upcoming voyage, junior Caitlyn Allendorph boards the Fydraca, a 32-foot-long Viking ship, along with her seven other crew members. While...
Bones ache from sleeping on the hard street, stomachs growl from lack of food and cars honk as they pass by the six and 8-year-old Sayle —now Araya — siblings. Cold days turn into even colder nights,...
![“[The happiest moment of my life] was the first time I went to Six Flags with my cousin, Riley. We went on almost every ride that wasn't going upside down, and [what made] it memorable was that I was with my cousin, who's the exact same age as me, and it was something we did together. We were eight, and our [favorite ride] was the Screaming Eagle. I've gone with her other times, but it's special because it was the first time we ever went there.” - Alex Dodd, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Alex-Dodd-900x600.jpg)
![“I'm really overwhelmed about getting a good score [on my ACT test] because my parents put a lot of pressure on me to get a good score, since they have a lot of expectations [for me] as well as having an older brother who really set the bar high by getting good grades and a good score on the ACT, that puts a lot of pressure on me to do just as well. It stresses me out a lot and it kind of scares me but I know that my parents are wanting the best for me. Although I know they're not just putting the stress on me for nothing because they want me to work hard and achieve everything I want. I know they put the stress on me for a good reason, they do it to make sure I won't have any regrets when I'm older. My parents are really supportive. I told them I needed a math tutor because I'm struggling with math and my parents just took the initiative, my mom spent days just trying to find the best possible math tutor she could find for me that will also fit my schedule. They care definitely a lot about my needs and they won't be afraid to just jump into action to get me what I need. I'm extremely grateful for my parents. They focus so much of their time focused on me, since I am like the only child right now basically with my brother at college. This could be a good and bad thing since all of their attention is on me now, which puts a lot of stress on me, but it also makes me relieved that I have parents who actually care about my success and achievements. I'm really excited to go to college. It's just stressful to think about the process of having to get into college, but I know that no matter where I go, or whatever I end up doing I'll be happy with whatever it is. I'm really excited to get out of Missouri and meet new people and make new friends. Whatever is outside of Missouri I want to explore. I want to explore different areas of our country and go out of state for college. I really want to go somewhere urban and populated with more things around me, for example, more activities I could be doing on the weekends. I want to meet new people in different areas. I definitely am looking for diversity on campus because I really want to go to a college with a large variety of diversity, as a student of color. I want to make sure that [the college I go to will] have a good business and marketing program which is really important, and like a large population of like their student body is involved in like the business or marketing area. Otherwise, I feel like it'd be a waste to go to a college that doesn't focus on the area I want to study.” - Angie Ren,11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_0027-900x600.jpg)
![“[The happiest moment of my life was] last year when I asked my crush to Homecoming. I asked her on the bus, she said yes, and I got really happy about it. We've been together well over a year now, but I liked her for a year before even asking her out. [Before] the dance, we went out and had a nice little dinner together, and at the dance we talked, hung out and danced - it was a great night. Looking back, it's a blur, but I remember it as a really happy night. We went to Homecoming [again] this year, and I'm planning on asking her to prom too.” - Cameron Licata, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSC_0002-900x600.jpg)
![“[My happiest moment] was in the World Cup final, when Argentina won. I wanted a lot of teams to win at first, like the US, the Netherlands, England and then Argentina. I just got into soccer, but I'm [close with] my [older] brother, and some of his friends are from the Netherlands and others are from England, [so I rooted] for those teams, but by the end, I just wanted Messi to win. I [just started] playing soccer, but I play golf too. My grandpa got me into it, and I like playing with my brother because he's not very good. I'm hoping to make the JV team this spring for it.” - Maddox Miller, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSC_0005-900x600.jpg)
![“I’m proud of my art and where it’s taken me. I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do; I surprised myself, [and] I think it could take me places. [Art] means a lot to me. It’s a different way to look at the world. I remember after taking a photography class, I would look outside and be like ‘oh, that would make such a great photo.’ When you become more into art, you look at the world differently and in a more artistic way. Art is different for everyone. Everyone creates their own art and it’s such a cool way to express yourself and in such different ways. And that’s really beautiful. ” - Amy Rein, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/amyreinpeopleofwest-_1_-900x600.jpeg)
![Cutting into a celebratory cookie cake, the secretary of the Indian Club and junior Swati Kumar kicks off the first meeting. Club board members introduced themselves and reviewed what future meetings would look like. “[I am] excited to see how far we could take this club. Indian culture is overlooked many times, so being a part of educating and celebrating it with others [is] so fun,” Kumar said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IMG_0093-1-1-900x675.jpg)
![Sophomore Nidhi Pejathya lights candles to welcome guests on Diwali. An urli is a traditional Indian decoration filled with water, flowers and candles that are lit during the holiday. “Diwali is the festival of lights, so we greet the goddess Lakshmi with [them]. In our culture, a huge saying is ‘treat your guests like god,’ so we do the same for them as we would for the goddess,” Pejathya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Nidhi-FEAT-900x675.jpg)
![Junior Caitlyn Allendorph carries the shield of her mentor during the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) Laurel Award Ceremony. The award is presented to those who have excelled in the arts and sciences category. “This was a huge honor to do this, [my mentor] helped me get my bearings at the SCA. It makes me so happy that I was able to be in this,” Allendorph said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/image_50802177.jpg)
![Junior Shaleigh Araya (front row, far left) poses with her adoptive family for a picture in 2019. Araya said she owes her success to her family and faith. “God has really helped me in life,” Araya said. “That’s the number one thing I [attribute] to my success. Next comes [the support] of my family and friends.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG-1923.jpg)