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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

Senior Sadie Burgess squeezes a stress ball as she gets her blood drawn. Burgess was the first student donor of the day for Impact Life’s blood drive. “I'm not good with needles or shots, so giving blood made me a little nervous, but I think I did okay,” Burgess said. “I saved three lives today and I feel like Halloween is a good day to give blood. It's very festive with the vampires and the costumes.”

A scary good cause: West High hosts a schoolwide blood drive on Halloween

Ruthvi Tadakamalla, Sports/Newsletter Editor November 1, 2024

This Halloween, Oct. 31, the National Honor Society (NHS), Red Cross Club and Key Club came together to organize a schoolwide blood drive. With more than 30 students and staff giving blood, this year’s...

In recent years, the topic of lowering the national voting age has sparked debates across the United States. Young people have been at the forefront of the discussion, sharing their unique perspectives and opinions on voting ages. “[I want to vote because] I should be able to make decisions about myself, about my education, and about my rights,” sophomore Yein Ahn said.

Youth voices on the rise

Ruthvi Tadakamalla and Serena Liu October 17, 2023

Pro: Turning sixteen can be one of the biggest milestones for a teen. By their 16th birthday, a teen can drive a car, pay taxes, work without restrictions, become emancipated and drop out of high school....

Sophomore Sadie Burgess poses with her grandmother's novel "Spirited Sisters." Burgess' grandmother grew up in India and has written 20 novels with her experience.

Discovering diversity

Ava Griswold, CJ1 Writer March 31, 2023

After spending time with her grandparents twice a year, sophomore Sadie Burgess felt a connection far beyond Ballwin, Mo. Burgess’ grandma was born and raised in India, where she attended...

Trunk or Treat!

Trunk or Treat!

Ashlyn Gillespie, Deputy Managing Editor-in-Chief October 21, 2022

  Longhorn Student Council (LOCO) is holding a Trunk or Treat event Oct. 27 from 5-7 p.m. LOCO Secretary and sophomore Sadie Burgess and Creative Coordinator and sophomore Sienna Lorenz planned...

Recent changes to Title XI of the Missouri Revised Statutes bring back questions about corporal punishment in schools. As a toddler, now-sophomore Sadie Burgess attended Eufaula, a school district with an opt-in corporal punishment system allowing parents to determine if teachers could physically discipline their children. “I don't agree with [corporal punishment]. It's a very harsh way to punish kids; some kids have behavioral issues that not everyone understands. Solving those issues with violence isn't the answer,” Burgess said.

Corporal punishment: What defines necessary?

Pathfinder Editorial Board September 30, 2022

Years ago, corporal punishment was standard practice in classrooms worldwide. After a period of resentment against corporal punishment, a public school district in Missouri recently reinstated it, allowing...

Celebrating the 2021 Fall Pep Assembly, seniors Esha Franics and Maya Malhorta dress in spirit colors red, white and blue. The duo worked on planning the Homecoming assembly, parade and Powder Puff game. “I'm more in charge of the parade and the floats. Esha is more in charge of the pep assembly and Powder Puff,” senior Maya Malhorta said. “There’s a lot of things to do behind the scenes, especially picking [main] theme and planning all of the spirit day themes, but it is a lot of fun. I picked disco [for the class theme] because I think it would be the most fun. I am disappointed the teachers didn’t get rock; I was hoping they would.”

Longhorn Council shares their pride, passion and plans

Elle Rotter, Deputy Conceptual Editor-in-Chief September 23, 2022

The Longhorn Council is a team of high school students who plan activities like Homecoming, spirit week, prom, pep assemblies and other school events. The executive board is a smaller group of students...

“I lived in Joplin, Mo., for a little longer than seven years. Less than a year after we moved there, this big EF5 tornado came in and destroyed the town. I lived through a lot of rebuilding and sadness surrounding me. My dad's a pastor, and every Wednesday night, we would have dinner with missionaries who were rebuilding Joplin. [The tornado] was a big part of who I am. Now it inspires me. I went on mission trips after [the tornado] to towns destroyed by tornadoes. The mission trips were a fun environment, even though it was not fun work. The community was cool. We all went to Oklahoma because they had one big tornado, and we went there two years in a row. We went with the church, and there were a lot of kids my age that went, and we couldn't do a lot. On one of the mission trips, I remember that my sister Amelia and I built a shed together. It was fun because many times we were painting houses, and the older guys and women were building the sheds, and we couldn’t do much. It was cool to experience getting to build a shed, getting to use your hands and learning how to do something new.” 
- Sadie Burgess, 9

Sadie Burgess

Brooke Hoenecke, CJ1 Writer May 4, 2022