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
Standing in front of the Marine Corps symbol, junior Audrey Griswold tours Iowa State University ROTC. Griswold always thought the Naval Academy was the place where she wanted to start. “At the Naval Academy, once you step on campus you are active military, whereas by taking an ROTC program you would be able to have your own college experience. So it's very different, but I think both are exceptional options,” Griswold said.

Hoping to continue her family legacy in the military

Ava Griswold, Yearbook Editor-in-Chief • January 27, 2022

With a family history in the military, junior Audrey Griswold decided at the age of 13 that she wanted to continue the family legacy, serving her country.  Griswold is thinking about the Naval Academy...

Junior Elle Rotter’s collection of five ducks sits lined up on a table. Rotter felt joyful finally finding a duck for herself. “I remember all day [when the ducks were first put out] looking for them in the hallways, library and at lunch,” Rotter said. “A lot of my friends found one before me but I finally found one in the library the next day. I instantly felt so happy. I remember [also] feeling dumb for being so happy and proud, but I quickly shrugged that feeling off and have since enjoyed keeping my eye out for the ducks around the school.”

Duck, duck…on the loose?

Katie Wallace, Staff Writer • January 20, 2022

Sophomore Kat Fitzanko walks through the halls carrying a heavy backpack. All of a sudden, she spots a small, yellow object perched up high on a windowsill. A smile dawns across her face as she realizes...

Our school showed a lot of longhorn pride at homecoming week. Here are some of the highlights.

Life of a longhorn

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer • September 27, 2021

As senior Rick Biswas reads a packet, junior and Scholar Bowl Executive Captain Owen Arneson keeps track of senior Kevin Zheng's and the rest of his teammates' points. Doing this at each of the Scholar Bowl team's practices three times a week allowed Arneson to figure out categories he and his teammates have improved in. Senior and Strategic Captain Anna Csiki-Fejer (not pictured) then helps players find resources to improve in categories the team doesn't cover as well. "I'm excited to go to tournaments, see some new people and competition," Arneson said. ​"We were at a really good spot dedication-wise at the end of last season, but how much more dedication I'm already seeing this year looks like a really good sign to me. I love seeing my teammates play well, show good teamwork and have a good time; it makes me really excited to see just how well we can do this year.​"

Photo of the Week – Sept. 17

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • September 17, 2021

Team Blue Brains (5430A: Seniors Kunal Addagarla, Jack Wild and Levi Ladd, juniors Rick Biswas and David Meisinger, sophomores Joseph Britt, Anushka Dharmasanam and Isaac Porter) display their newly built automaton.

Worlds VEX Robotics Competition: Robotics team assembles a successful weekend

Makinsey Drake, Staff Writer • June 4, 2021

Robotics Teams Blue Brains and Memory Leak advanced to the 2021 VEX Robotics Competition at the end of this May. In a successful four days team Blue Brains, led by senior Levi Ladd, reached the World...

Junior Scotty Peterson finishes painting three of his brake calipers, a sky blue to match with his headlights. He was waiting for suspension upgrades to be fitted into the car, which makes the car more sensitive to steering inputs. “I chose a bright blue because it seems unique,” Peterson said. “I wanted them to stand out while also being cohesive with the rest of the colors on the car.”

Junior Scott Peterson stays connected to his father through his passion for cars

Joseph Denklau, Staff Writer • June 3, 2021

The sun is setting. Vroom, brab, brap. A car. Without warning, it flies into vision, a gray bullet amongst the red sky. It slides to the left, then the right, then the left and comes to a standstill. A...

As part of Creative Writing, students publish short stories.

Aspiring authors: Creative Writing Students publish short stories

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief • May 28, 2021

Usually in English classes, students are asked to write narratives, literary analyses and even research papers; however, students in English teacher Dan Barnes’ Creative Writing I and II get to create...

Sitting in a circle of usable and broken skateboards, junior Ashton Beattie showcases his collection. Beattie has been skating since fourth grade and has kept every skateboard he owned. “I sometimes will sell my boards to people and make money off of it, but right now I am also thinking about making a table and chair out of them so that they don’t go to waste,” Beattie said.

The stories his skateboards could tell

Tre Bell, Staff Writer • May 7, 2021

For junior Ashton Beattie, learning to ride a skateboard wasn’t a difficult decision. After watching his father at the skatepark as a kid, Beattie knew he wanted to learn to roll, jump and flip around...

Junior Lauren McLeod, a member of the swim and dive team, gives her all in the 100 backstroke. McLeod has been a part of the varsity swim and dive team for two years, and has been swimming for seven years of her life. "It's a sport that takes a lot of perseverance. But it is also very rewarding to be a part of a team that is so driven and always brings each other up," McLeod said.

Photo of the Week-Jan.11

Bri Davis, Staff Writer • January 15, 2021

Junior Anna Knott finishes up the drawing of the leg lamp from the 1983 movie, “A Christmas Story.” Knott and her mom worked together to be able to create fun and relatable drawings. “A lot of people were commenting on our art and often had suggestions which made it so much more fun,” Knott said.

Diving into junior Anna Knott’s world of chalk art

Bri Davis, Staff Writer • January 14, 2021

When we think of art, we naturally think of painting, drawing and sketching. But have we ever thought about chalk art? Junior Anna Knott and her mom did as they searched for something to do during quarantine. “My...

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