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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

English teacher Erin Fluchel poses with the camera she uses during sessions. Fluchel experimented with other types of photography but decided that she preferred family moments most. “[Photographing a wedding] was stressful. It was a long day that I was away from my kids. I felt like I was capturing more of the stage moments and not the spontaneous stuff that I love doing. I'm glad that I tried these things, but it wasn't for me. Again, it was less about connection and more about getting perfect things,” Fluchel said.

Snapshots of life

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief March 31, 2022

Looking through her camera viewfinder, English teacher Erin Fluchel waits for the right moment to capture. The camera lens follows a child splashing in a creek; the parents watch from afar. Click. The...

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...

The most surprising resurgence of 2021 (other than the omicron variant) may be “The Sopranos” HBO Max comeback. “Silvio & Paulie in a scene from The Sopranos” This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Photo by Kipp Teague.

Made in America: The Sopranos’ 2021 Comeback

Thomas Bruns, Opinions/A&E editor January 10, 2022

“It's good to be in something from the ground floor. I came too late for that and I know. But lately, I'm getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.”  Tony Soprano’s therapist...

Spending their seventh hour in the cafeteria Jan. 6, juniors Matthew Feng, Sangarshan Kumar, Michael Feng, Govind Menon, Om Shinde, Samarth Samal and Bennett Christofferson join a Zoom with their teacher to get help with their assigned work. Their teacher assigned a packet with lecture notes, guided problems and self-check problems and opened a Zoom room during class hours to ensure students were supported. “For some people, school is the only place they feel safe. On the other hand, we’re also in the biggest COVID-19 spike [of cases] right now. Both sides have ups and downs,” Samal said. “I personally am fine with staying in school as long as it doesn't interfere with my learning too much because I'm vaccinated and I wear my mask properly. If I can cover the content by myself with my teacher available on Zoom, I'm flexible with any option.”

Staff scramble to keep school open amid COVID-19 surge

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief January 7, 2022

In the cafeteria during fifth hour Jan. 6, Principal Dr. Mitchell taught three classes simultaneously. Academic Support teachers left their classrooms to deliver lessons, substitutes rushed from class...

Photo illustration of a family with COVID-19 quarantining in separate rooms.

Living with COVID-19

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief March 2, 2021

Turning on the news, you are greeted by reporters reciting recent statistics about COVID-19. Hospitals care for an endless amount of patients as they start to overflow. Stickers carefully placed six feet...

Principal Jeremy Mitchell measures the distance between desks to aid in contact tracing. After measuring the desks, Mitchell gave the information to Assistant Principal Kate Piffel, who used seating charts to determine close contacts. “Dr. Mitchell measures the desks to see how far apart they are because if they are within six feet [there is a] 98% chance that those students are going to have to quarantine if they're that close to another student,” Piffel said.

Behind the scenes of COVID-19 contact tracing

Ellie West, Staff Writer February 22, 2021

Assistant Principal Kate Piffel sits at her desk, a phone balanced next to her ear. An overstuffed black binder lays open on her desk and she reads something from it, listening thoughtfully to the response...

Self-isolation as a response to COVID-19 had more benefits beyond containing the spread; it also helped some people discover their introvertedness.

Carpe Diem, introverts

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief September 8, 2020

You say quarantine made you understand the value of a little ‘me time,’ appreciate a little quiet, become a little more introverted. Amazing job, I’m so proud of you. But you did not change, your...

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit communities worldwide, regular summer plans were put on hold. Amongst our community, students wrestled with breaking the spell of boredom while also adhering to national safety guidelines that are still in place. Students were left to figure out alternative ways to enjoy their summer break.

Summer Plan B Story

Lilly Francis, Staff Writer August 25, 2020

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...

Taking a break from school work, freshman Tyler Lang relaxes and plays with his new puppy Rona. After adopting the puppy a few weeks ago from Feral Companion, the Lang family named Rona after the Coronavirus. “I think having a dog during this time is helpful because it’s a good break away from eLearning and it also lightens the mood of everyone in our house,” Lang said.

24 hours of quarantine

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 22, 2020

Daily routines have changed with the pandemic as there are few requirements to hold students accountable. Getting out of bed in the morning depends on whether you have a required Zoom call. With so much...