![Eyes to the sky, junior Romy Taylor stands center stage in the evening gown section of the 2023 Miss Missouri Teen Volunteer Pageant. Taylor received compliments from judges and the audience for her walk, a skill she believes this section allows contestants to flaunt. “[Walking on stage in a gown] shows how much grace someone can carry. I absolutely love it when I get to show it off on stage,” Taylor said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/romy-900x596.jpg)
![Posing in her last pageant dress, sophomore Romy Taylor reminisces on her past competitions. Taylor has participated in pageants for seven years.“[The most rewarding thing about pageants] are the relationships you make. Because whether or not you win, you're always going to make friends,” Taylor said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/IMG_0753-900x705.jpg)
“I've liked writing ever since I knew how to. I'm taking a creative writing class, so we write most of the time in that class, almost every...
![Focused on providing exceptional service, sophomore Darsh Mahapatra carefully cleans the door of a customer’s car. Mahapatra has always believed his customers deserve nothing less than the best. “[If] they’re trusting us with their car and our service, then I am convinced that they deserve our 100 percent effort and beyond,” Mahapatra said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_0018-1200x800.jpg)
Students in high school often feel overwhelmed by schoolwork, extracurricular activities and sports — especially those who strive to excel...
“I have made some of my best friends playing softball, and I love playing with [my] teammates. Whenever I'm feeling sad or when I’m not playing...