- June 5On to the next
- May 22The fun in finance
- May 22Photo of the Week - May 22
- May 22Spring in action: A look into West's 2026 spring sports season
- May 21French en route
- May 19Sarah Johnson
- May 19Crime, class and consequence
- May 18Athletes of West - Alexander Berryhill
- May 15What Happens Next
- May 15An empty table
![“What made me really want to start playing [volleyball] was my sister. She loved it. She played it in high school, and just admired that; [when I] started playing I fell in love with it. I love the players, the coaches, and every experience. My first year experience was awesome. During the high school games, we always go in the locker room, run through the halls and [do] a [chant]. [After that] we all cheer, warm up and do dynamics together. A memorable moment [of mine] was [when I] committed to [the] University of Memphis. [It] was really exciting, because I felt relieved, and I felt like I found a place that I am hoping for; it felt right. In high pressure situations, I go back to the basics of what I know and focus on [practicing.] I [also] really focus on helping my teammates [by] encouraging them. Younger players [should] always take advantage of every moment, and every rep that you get. Know that you are a person and [your sport] doesn't define you. It's just something you enjoy playing. Don't let it overpower who you are. Just always stay true to [yourself].” - Maddy Bach, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/4973371a-f0f0-499c-88cb-720a634132fc-1200x800.jpg)
![“This school year, I'm looking forward to really settling into West, because last year I was a freshman getting used to the environment, and now that I [am aware of] my surroundings, I know the opportunities that West provides me. I feel like getting more involved than I was last year and it's going to be [a] fun [experience] for me. [This year I am going to] join the diplomacy club and the spanish club. I'm excited to meet new people, try new things and see what those clubs are about. I [might] join volleyball again, because I had a lot of fun doing [it] last year. I'm also on the robotics team at West and I'm super excited, because last year I didn't have any past experience in robotics, but now I know the lay of the land and what I'm doing. [This year] I think my personal growth is my [biggest] motivator. I've always wanted to be a better person and just continue growing [in] this journey of self improvement and [through] joining these clubs. Discovering myself in high school really [helped to] push me, and that has been my motivator for a long time. I love the community here, [and] I love all the opportunities that the school has given me.”- Adam Thomas, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WunschA_ThomasA1-Anna-Wunsch-1200x800.jpg)
![“I'm passionate about volleyball. I've been playing for six years. I play it because I like the way that, [even though,] it's a team sport, it's also focused on [a person] individually; especially in my position since I'm the back row defense where the ball can hit me. It's [up to] me, I can’t blame anybody else. I like how it's very focused on [the] performance and how well [I] react to how the other team plays. The way I play really matters to me because it’s a team sport and I don't want to let my teammates down.” Emma Barton, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/image1-1200x800.jpg)
![“One of the happiest things I can remember lately is when [I was] at a volleyball tournament. After playing three games, we had busted our butts working to win the point and it was tied at 27. We ended up winning 28-27 and it came down to that last point. Everyone was so happy and really excited in the moment [that] we were able to win the game. I'm a middle hitter for Parkway Lightning Volleyball Club, and I've [been playing] for five years. [My favorite thing about] volleyball is the people I'm surrounding myself with, because these people are very uplifting and they push me to be a better version of myself, not only [as] a player but as a human being.” - Gabriella Black, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSC_0001-2-900x600.jpg)
![Digging their sandy toes into the ground, seniors Areeb Hasan and Uzair Mohsin prepare to block senior Nathan Meek’s spike, set up by seniors Manoah Inje and Gordon Yu. The boys took time to hype each other up after plays. “There's a lot of boosting each other up. As you play, you have like five people telling you how great you are and that feels great. When we get off [the pit], people always comment like 'Oh, so-and-so has gotten so good at this.’ I love that we’re learning and having a good time,” Meek said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/volleyball-feat-FINAL-900x600.jpg)
![The narrow lens contrasts with a diverse reality; whitewashing means altering or concealing something to make it more appealing to white people. The word “whitewashed” as it is used today has caused identity crises for thousands, if not millions, of students. “I have been called whitewashed before, and it feels very sad. [It’s] just hard because it makes me not know who I am. You don’t get a lot of backlash for [saying it], so I think it’s a throwaway term for people who aren’t affected by it. When you are the person [who] is being called whitewashed, over time, it builds up,” sophomore Raaga Golla said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_5740-1-300x200.jpg)
![There are more than 20 open cardio machines at Crunch Fitness. I enjoyed the spacious environment at Crunch, a sentiment that was shared by sophomore Sanjana Daggubati. “[Going to] Crunch Fitness was the right decision because [it] feels more professional. Crunch’s workers are laid back, but not to the point where they don't care,” Daggubati said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_5242-1-300x225.jpg)
![Discarded to the side, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams merchandise sits in a trash can after the two National Football League (NFL) teams left the state of Missouri. Both the National Hockey League’s (NHL) St.Louis Blues and Major League Baseball’s (MLB) St. Louis Cardinals, two other Missouri professional sports teams, have been in the city since their developments in 1967 and 1882, respectively. “St. Louis fans are incredibly loyal, judging by [the MLB’s] Cardinals and [the NHL’s] Blues. Team owners on the whole, not so much, judging by the [National Football League’s] Rams. This is more a function of ownership and profit than fan loyalty,” government teacher and football coach Melvin Trotier said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC5875-2-300x225.jpg)
![Carefully holding a young athlete's face, senior Elizabeth Knott works at the face painting station in Victory Village. The Victory Village, located in the North Gym, served as a space for athletes to engage in multiple independent tasks. “I like to volunteer [and] interact with all different kinds of people [and] helping them have a fun experience. There was a little boy who asked me if I could [draw] a character from a game he liked [and] I was able to look it up and draw that character for him,” Knott said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/DSC9290-1-Enhanced-NR-1-300x200.jpg)
![Setting up the activity for his first meeting, Financial Literacy Club founder and sophomore Yash Bandiananthaiah writes on the whiteboard. For the first meeting, Bandiananthaiah created an interactive experience for members to immerse themselves in. “To me, the most important thing during a meeting is to make sure we are all engaged and participating, and [I do this by] always making sure we have a hands-on activity,” Bandiananthaiah said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC5306-1200x798.jpg)
![Hand raised into the air, senior Lauren Anstrom watches as her graduation cap flies along with the caps of all her peers. Anstrom hopes to leave behind the legacy as someone who was kind, hardworking, and always supportive of others. “Tossing my graduation cap honestly felt surreal. In that moment, everything hit me at once with all the excitement, relief and a little sadness too. It felt really emotional [because] this was the end of such a big chapter of my life, but also exciting knowing that everyone was about to start a completely new journey,” Anstrom said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC_3031-Enhanced-NR-2-1200x800.jpg)
![French teacher Blair Hopkins enters City Coffee & Creperie in Clayton, Mo. for breakfast with her Honors French 4 students and AP French 5 students. Both classes went on a field trip to a fair trade chocolate factory in St. Louis to begin their unit on Côte D’Ivoire, a major producer of cocoa beans. “My ideal school would just be the Magic School Bus — you would always learn about things by going someplace and learning hands-on, being able to see it yourself and asking people questions. I think [learning is] always so much more memorable if you can experience it firsthand,” Hopkins said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC2795-1200x798.jpg)