![“The [Mid-Autumn Festival] is a harvest time, like Thanksgiving for Americans. During this time, the moon just so happens to be the brightest. If you go and look at the Chinese calendar, you'll be able to find out what period of time it is. We all get together as a family reunion, we feast, watch the Moon and eat mooncakes. My favorite is probably the lotus seed [paste] with the salty egg in the middle or red bean [paste], but the others are okay. If the moon is there, we'll get together and go outside [to] watch the Moon. It's cool because [the moon is] glowy [and] it feels like the sun at dusk. That's how bright it is. [The Mid-Autumn Festival] has given me a reason to look forward to the fall. Whenever [I] look at something for a long time [I start] daydreaming, [and when I look at the moon I] have this very weird feeling. It feels very at peace just by yourself. I feel a similar feeling would be standing out in the rain. So it's a really beautiful moment to reflect. And you have fun with your family. I would say it's a great period of time to have fun and remember what we have,” sophomore Sofia Wu said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DSC_0001-copy-900x599.jpg)
![“The most influential people in my life would have to be my mom and dad. They have been through so much and helped me through so much. They inspire me every day, and I can not thank them enough. I don’t know what I would do without them. They taught me how to be a better person and how to survive in this world. When my grandma died, it left a big dent in my life, [making] me feel sad and upset. I felt like I couldn’t do anything. [So] I turned to my parents to help me get through it, and they talked to me and helped me. They are two of the most hard-working people I have ever met. They started a new business, and seeing them get through all of the bumps in the road and grow the business inspired me to persevere through everything.”
- Eva Frazer, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/image1-14-675x900.jpg)
![“Swimming has impacted my life because I am just in my happy place when I am at the pool. I could just be sitting on the wall, and I would be having fun hanging out with my teammates. I loved swimming [alongside] my school friends and meeting new people in different grades in high school swim. My favorite part of swimming is the feeling I get while diving in at a meet because my adrenaline is pumping, and all I focus on is how fast I can go to beat the person next to me. One thing that I have been working to achieve is my 100-meter individual medley. It is a few days after I get home from Florida, so I will not get to practice beforehand, which is scary. I have worked hard this season to train for this race.” — Ava Sticht, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image2-6-900x630.jpg)
![“My biggest inspiration would have to be my father. His work ethic is amazing, and he never gives himself a break. He pushes himself to go further than he normally could. He always gives his best and tries to make my siblings and I lives as easy as possible. I admire him a lot because he is a contractor, which means he has a good amount of work to do. Whenever he works a little less on some days, he tries to push even harder the next [day] to make up for it. I try to teach my younger siblings to work just as hard and set a good example myself. I try to keep his lessons with me every day and apply them to my daily life. He is someone that I have looked up to for a long time, and he taught me to appreciate the smallest things in life.” – Tyler Grissom, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/image1-11-900x600.jpg)
![Performing as Nibs in “Lost Girl,” junior Avery Hermann inspects a drawing of Neverland made by the show’s main character, Wendy Darling. Hermann not only acted in “Lost Girl”, but he also served as assistant director of the show. “I found ‘Lost Girl’ to be a beautiful and touching story, and I’m really glad I got to be a part of it. My favorite part of the show [was] my work as assistant director. I spent a lot of time working with every [cast member] on character, deliveries and emotional development. It was so amazing to see these brilliant actors come to life on stage in such a colorful way,” Hermann said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC_1258-Enhanced-NR-1-1200x798.jpg)
![Gazing up from the stage, junior Joseph McCurdy who played Peter Pan in the school play, Lost Girl, sits next to senior Juliana Rogers, who plays Wendy Darling, during a theater rehearsal. McCurdy’s passion for theater began when he observed a West High production in middle school. “I've been in the high school theater program since I was a freshman. I've always loved theater, but [what prompted me to join] was [when] I went to see [a performance here] when I was in middle school, and it was super cool,” McCurdy said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_6535-1200x798.jpeg)
Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, Parkway West’s theater department traveled through the life of Wendy Darling, in their newest production. “Lost Girl,”...
From down the hall, bursts of laughter and applause spill out of a classroom unlike a typical history class. Inside, instead of sitting through...