The student news site of Parkway South High School. All opinion pieces represent the views of the writer alone, not the school or district.

Treaty
The student news site of Parkway South High School. All opinion pieces represent the views of the writer alone, not the school or district.

Treaty
The student news site of Parkway South High School. All opinion pieces represent the views of the writer alone, not the school or district.

Treaty

Jacob Hurst, senior

Sydney Hurst, Photojournalism • October 17, 2025
"Balancing baseball and school has taught me that effort must be equal in both to succeed. On the field, one of my biggest challenges has been handling failure when the pressure is high. Being on the mound and not playing my best used to get in my head, but I've learned that mistakes are inevitable and don't define me. In school, taking five AP classes has pushed me more than I expected, with long nights of homework and studying. On top of that, thinking about the future and college brings its own stress. Even with all the challenges, I've learned that resilience, focus and the ability to keep moving forward are what matter most."
Sydney Hurst
“Balancing baseball and school has taught me that effort must be equal in both to succeed. On the field, one of my biggest challenges has been handling failure when the pressure is high. Being on the mound and not playing my best used to get in my head, but I’ve learned that mistakes are inevitable and don’t define me. In school, taking five AP classes has pushed me more than I expected, with long nights of homework and studying. On top of that, thinking about the future and college brings its own stress. Even with all the challenges, I’ve learned that resilience, focus and the ability to keep moving forward are what matter most.”
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"I enjoy problem solving, which makes math my favorite subject. I had a happy childhood and share a close bond with my older sister, who I love spending time with. I was born in Brazil and moved here in Kindergarten. Looking ahead, I hope to improve my Personal Record in cross country over the next four years, while also staying true to myself and leaving South an even better place than when I first arrived."
Evelly Lima, freshman
“Before I became a strength coach I was a college student and went to grad school. I have always been in the gym and I first started working at a gym in Iowa. What got me started with strength training was that I was always an ambitious and very motivated athlete. Also, I was always surrounded by people who were always in the weight room like coaches, friends, and mentors. One thing that led me to become a strength coach was about how cool it was to see the amount of confidence a person can gain from lifting weights and what comes with this is putting yourself in a very uncomfortable and vulnerable spot. A quote that I always tell my students is, 'without challenge there is no change.' I mean, at one point you are going to realize that health is going to become really important to you."
Kyle Whitcher, P.E.
"I really like to be involved in things, even though I don't have much time to do anything. I try to involve myself in school as much as possible. When I get older I want to join the Air Force, but I have to do a lot of training [in order to do this] and you have to be able to do a lot of conditioning to get in. Managing my time is one of my biggest struggles, but there [are] a lot of things I want to do [so I make time] to do them. My biggest advice for someone who is having trouble managing their time is to pick the things you really love and stick with those things."
Elise Marx, junior
"Your freshman year is your most important year. It sets you up for the rest of your years in high school. So make sure you do your work and study. Things that got me through high school were sports (track basketball and football.) After high school I plan to go to a community college and then transfer to a university."
Carl Bevineau, senior
"I love playing football because it's the only sport where you can hit someone as hard as you can and not get punished for it. As a captain I contribute leadership and bring energy to the team. I don't give up easily--I'm the first one to start and the last one to stop. To me, a good captain is someone who is the 'tip of the spear'--a player who pushes hard, lifts his teammates up, and leads by example, whether at practice or in school."
Grant Williams, senior
"[My advice for incoming freshmen is] stay on top of your work. Set a good first impression for everybody because the teachers are going to be looking at you. I would say freshman year was my hardest year because I was in a new environment with new people and a new space. It takes a lot to get comfortable with. It's not like middle school--it's a complete change."
CJ Jones, junior