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
This is the first year that the Parkway West Science Olympiad team competed at regionals. Team member and junior Anish Jindal competed in several events including Chem Labs, Experimental Design and Geological Mapping, earning top five placements in several events. “Compared with some of the other academic competitions at West [that can be] difficult to figure out how to get better, [Science Olympiad] is a lot more inclusive, having a broad group of people with different specialties,” Jindal said.

The formula for victory

Yein Ahn, News Editor • March 5, 2025

From cracking forensic cases to engineering planes, the Parkway West Science Olympiad team put their science knowledge to the test on March 1 at the team’s first regional competition. The Longhorns didn’t...

Beaming after winning the regional competition, senior Zoe Skidis stands with English teacher Andria Benmuvhar. Skidis won the school-wide competition for Poetry Out Loud, the regional competition, and went to compete at the state competition. “We went up there, and it went really smoothly. I loved listening to the other poems. It's a little harder to focus on other people's poems because you're nervous for your own, but it was still really cool,” Skidis said.

Speak Up

Grace Loethen, Staff Writer • April 12, 2023

Stage lights shine brightly in senior Zoe Skidis’ eyes. Standing in front of a large crowd, about to give her regional presentation, Skidis can barely see her parents and English teacher Andria Benmuvhar....

Lifting a state record in the deadlift event, sophomore Tommy Eschbach pulls 360 lbs to his hips. Behind him, a competition official ensures that Eschbach’s form is synonymous with powerlifting regulations. “I tried my best and I got results, so I know that if I work hard enough I can compete in a national competition and maybe even get a record,” Eschbach said.

Weightlifting his way to the top

Achyuta Ambal, Staff Writer • December 15, 2021

Knees shaking, legs aching and arms straining, sophomore Tommy Eschbach lifts 360 lbs up to his hips into a deadlift. The only thoughts running through his head are telling him to push himself to the max....

Participating in a sendoff for the girls varsity volleyball team Nov. 5, seniors Lexie Pilz and Leah Selm hold posters to cheer on their friends. Pilz attended both the sendoff and the State championship game. "It felt good to be able to support them through all this and watch them do such amazing things in their season," Pilz said. "They worked so hard for this, and I am beyond proud of my amazing friends and all they accomplished while dominating the court."

Photo of the Week–Nov. 2

Kathryn McAuliffe, Managing Editor-in-Chief • November 6, 2020

Getting ready for the state championship, seniors James Griffin and Brayden Eddy finish their practice as they stand with their friends, holding a poster of the competition bracket. On Feb. 15, they practiced at St. Charles High School. “As soon as I found out that I was going to state, I instantly knew that all my hard work had paid off to this moment,” Griffin said. “It felt awesome to be able to represent our school at the state-level competition.”

Seniors place top 10 in state wrestling championship

Jacob Stanton, Staff Writer • February 25, 2020

As loud cheering echoes throughout the stadium and cameras flash to capture the perfect image, seniors Brayden Eddy and James Griffin celebrate their victories at the state wrestling championship, completing...

As senior James Griffin pins his opponent, his teammates cheer him on. Griffin has a record of 34-2 this season and has committed to Lindenwood University. “This season, I feel like I’m more on top of my game. I feel like everything is starting to come together and click,” Griffin said. “I’m definitely seeing it in my wrestling, and another thing is that it’s starting to slow down for me. Last year, everything used to be really fast, and it felt like I didn’t have time to think. Now, everything has slowed down for me. I’m understanding patterns a lot better and peoples’ movements, so the biggest thing is that it’s slowed down for me.”

Reflecting after four years: senior James Griffin aims for state title

Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Section Editor • February 18, 2020

After being defeated multiple times at wrestling tournaments his freshman year, senior James Griffin made a promise to himself that he would do better the next time. Griffin fulfilled his promise as he...

Looking out over the pool, JV coach Brian Welch and alumni Mitch Griffin celebrate a goal at the State water polo championship against St. Louis University High, May 11. The varsity team walked home with second place. “The game was so tight and every possession was heavily contested,” Welch said. “Every goal felt like a breath of air after being underwater in between goals.”

Photo of the week – May 13

Emma Caplinger, Arts and Entertainment Editor • May 17, 2019

Sophomore Emma Carter and freshman Paige Wehrmeister pose together after the Mehlville Women’s Invitational Dec. 21. The tournament was the first girls tournament that either one had been to; Carter took third place in the 167 pound weight class, and Wehrmeister took fifth in the 121 pound weight class.

#WrestleLikeAGirl: breaking boundaries and winning medals

Nell Jaskowiak, OPINIONS AND ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • February 1, 2019

This wrestling season, #WrestleLikeAGirl has trended across Missouri. Girls have turned out in record numbers for the sport, more than doubling the number that the Missouri State High School Activities...

Preparing to engage an opponent, Carter looks for an opportunity to shoot. Carter was named varsity wrestler of the week and boasts a 6-2 record. “When you get out on that mat and you’re really in that fight or flight moment, you know you have to win,” Carter said.

Sophomore Emma Carter pins down success

Nell Jaskowiak, OPINIONS AND ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • February 1, 2019

“Being a girl in this boy's sport, there [are] so many things you have to do. People are constantly watching what you’re doing to try and protect themselves; people in this sport are so sexist, it’s...

Hand raised after her first pin of a male opponent, Wehrmeister grins at her triumph. “I feel like I am in control of them [when I’m on top], and if I wanted to I could control everything that was happening in that moment,” Wehrmeister said. “They can’t get up if I don’t let go.”

Freshman Paige Wehrmeister finds her strength in wrestling

Nell Jaskowiak, OPINIONS AND ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • February 1, 2019

Freshman Paige Wehrmeister had not always seen herself as a strong person—then she started wrestling. Joining sophomore Emma Carter as one of two female wrestlers in Parkway, Wehrmeister has already...

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