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

Stacey Larson, art teacher

Cy Thornton, Photojournalism
May 18, 2026
Cy Thornton
“I started teaching in 2016 but I was a student teacher the year prior. Coming back to teach with the teacher I student taught with was just really wonderful. I started really getting into art when my parents signed me up for a ceramics class when I was five. I picked ceramics because I love just doing so much with it. 3-D stuff just makes sense. I love when someone is as invested as me in their project; it gets me excited. When a student pursue art and I see them grow, it’s always exciting.”
More to Discover
More in Humans of South
“My parents have lived in two different countries since I was 3. It’s weird and upsetting because my mom kind of has to do everything by herself when we are in St. Louis, and it is hard on their marriage and our family's relationship. But if anybody were to make it work it would be my parents. I also don’t get to spend much alone time with my dad, and I have to work multiple jobs here in St. Louis to help financially and be able to get my own car.”
Alex D'Amato, sophomore
“All-Suburban [choir] was really fun because I got to work with a lot of people from other schools that I didn't know and I got to make friends. We got to learn fun but challenging music and perform for my parents so that was really fun. But the audition process was really stressful, because over 600 people auditioned but only around 150 actually made it into the choir so that was really intimidating for me. I was one out of three girls in my class who made it so that made me feel really special and I was really grateful to have this opportunity.”
Jaya Wallace, sophomore
“I never really played sports prior to 7th grade. My older brother [Zach] played football and It was always awesome watching him go to practices and play at games. I started playing in 7th grade, and when I did all my friends did too, so it worked out. Having an older brother really helped me to get my name out there, especially because he was a good linebacker. Playing football and balancing school was hard because we had 3 practices every day, and I had work, but I made it work. If I could give advice to my little siblings it would be to play sports, but school always comes before athletics.” --Tyler Evers, freshman.
Tyler Evers, freshman
“Switching to PGA had its challenges. The first semester was the biggest struggle since the program was still fresh. On top of that, [I was] trying to figure out the new schedule plan, and the students in general. Though as the semester went on the entire change had become a routine, ultimately changing my perspective on school, let alone the world. We always try to include as many different cultures, traditions, field trips, hands-on projects as possible. Teaching many subjects or linking them into one can be tough for some teachers to adapt to, but I've seen the positive outcome it's had on many PGA students here at South.” --PGA math teacher Rodney Holtmeyer
Rodney Holtmeyer--math
“YoungLife has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. The first night I went I had so much fun being a teenager, singing songs with my friends, playing fun games, and embracing the goodness of Jesus. That first night forever changed my life and helped me grow my relationship with Christ. Everyone I come across I encourage them to come to YoungLife. Most of my life I've felt out of place, like I didn’t know where I belonged. When I'm at YoungLife I feel connected, like I know where I'm supposed to be. During camp, we couldn't have our phones, which connected me further with Jesus and my friends around me. I cannot wait to return to camp this summer and eventually give back to the YoungLife community by doing work crew."
Leighton Tampow, sophomore
"I have always loved obstacle courses. My sister saw [American Ninja Warrior] in middle school and showed it to me, and I always said ‘I could do that!” I started doing Tough Mudders and those types of races because again, I love obstacles. And then I started to actually try to go for it. I made a video a couple years in a row, and they called me and put me on as an alternate, and then I became a tester for them. So I was a tester in Indianapolis the year before, took my video that I did while I’m going through their obstacles. [When] I came [to South my students] really wanted to see a PE ninja. They gave me that name. I remember my dad saying ‘no, those guys trained for that stuff.’ I had to explain to him that I trained for this stuff, too. He still didn’t believe me, which kind of put a fire underneath me. Oh, yeah. OK. Bet. OK.”
Mickey Wendling, P.E.