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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 graphic using album covers from our staff's top picks.

2021’s Staff Song Reviews and Top Picks

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer December 31, 2021

As a result of quarantine downtime, some artists pushed previous boundaries. Here are some artists and songs Pathfinder journalists have handpicked to highlight.

Coaching through rehearsal with the Jazz Choir, Parrish looks at what he has created. Jazz choir is one of many choirs Parrish directs and choreographs here at West. "Teaching music is still a rush every time I do it. I never count the minutes, I am never bored," Parrish said.

Music teachers draw the line between force-feeding their kids music

Grace Putnam, Staff Writer June 4, 2021

Imagine being a fly on the wall and hearing the voluminous notes choir teacher Brian Parrish plays while he is teaching his children the solfege scale on his piano, mirroring how he teaches his students...

After a year of closed curtains, the Theater Department looks to get creative with performing.

The show must go on

Elizabeth Franklin, Editor-in-Chief April 7, 2021

“A really long time ago, I realized that this is how it’s going to be—if it was for the safety of my peers and my family, then that’s how it was going to have to be, and I accepted that. But it...

An arrangement of the cover art for the songs discussed herein.

Our favorite songs of 2020

Pathfinder Staff December 31, 2020

The music industry—like most things in 2020—is winding down its most bizarre year in recent memory. But even during a time when life as we knew it came to a grinding halt, artists still managed to...

An arrangement of the cover art for the albums discussed herein.

Top five albums to come out of quarantine

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 24, 2020

COVID-19 may have prompted some musicians to postpone albums or cancel tours, but that’s not to say the past several months have been devoid of good music. Below are my top five albums that have been...

Sitting in her bedroom, junior Zoe DeYoung writes in her notebook while in quarantine. DeYoung won first place in the Senior Poetry Division of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s “Express the Music” writing competition. “The poem was so different from everything I’d ever written before,” DeYoung said. “It made me proud of taking that leap and writing something like that.”

Junior Zoe DeYoung wins St. Louis Symphony Orchestra “Express the Music” Senior Poetry Division

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor May 11, 2020

Out of 2000 participants, 476 submissions and 47 finalists, junior Zoe DeYoung won first place in the Senior Poetry Division of “Express the Music.” Express the Music is an annual writing competition...

Take advantage of this time of isolation by trying new music, movies, shows, podcasts and more!

You have the time: media for when there’s nothing else to do

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor April 27, 2020

With the Stay Home Missouri Order in place until at least May 3, we are all in desperate search of something to do. I’ve been curing my boredom with a variety of activities such as walking my dog, biking...

After spring cleaning your music library, refresh your playlists with new music from Spring Has Sprung.

Spring has sprung playlist

Emma Caplinger, Arts and Entertainment Editor March 13, 2020

In light of recent events, a lot of us have found that we will have more free time than expected during spring break this year. If you find yourself stuck indoors, staring at a wall with nothing to do,...

Jamming out to “Don’t Stop” by DJ D-Sol, teachers Jeff Chazen, Jessica Wheeler and Katelyn Arenos get ready to ramp up the endorphins. When teacher Emily Lovercheck is not able to make it to the spin sessions, Arenos takes over leading the class with her playlist. “Music, especially with spinning, dictates how fast we go, if we add resistance [and] if we get a break. When the song speeds up, we speed up. When the song slows down, we slow down,” Arenos said. “I’m just really thankful that the school provides us with this opportunity to have a nice workout center. We are just thankful to have this space.”

Spinning at school: Teachers jam out to hits as they get a workout in

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief February 19, 2020

If you happen by the fitness center after school, you might hear a subdued pulsing of Major Lazer’s “Know No Better.” No, someone didn’t forget to turn off Z107.7. Teachers Emily Lovercheck,...

Junior Arden Dickson acts out applying makeup onstage. Dickson believes that acting teaches you how to tell a story, which is also important for singing. This led her to create her blog where she shares her experiences with friends and family. “I have heard people [respond with] ‘thank you for sharing’ or ‘I have been in a similar situation myself,’ so it's good to hear that other people are also facing similar situations and that my work is helping others.”

Creating the blog “Good Song, Good Soul,” junior Arden Dickson shares lessons

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief February 4, 2020

Publishing her first post in December 2019, junior Arden Dickson writes her blog “Good Song, Good Soul” about her passion for music and acting to remind herself of her writing roots and share experiences...