Parkway North Alumni Share Diverse Experiences

There are many walks of life and it’s important to find out which path is right for you. Many alumni from Parkway North used their time at North to find out who they are and what they are passionate about which leads them to do great things with their careers.

Donna Myers, who graduated from North in 1975, has been a legal assistant, paralegal, and office manager for 26 years.

“Parkway North was a brand new school at the time and all the people were so nice,” said Myers.“I also realized there were many kids who were sweet [in] the Parkway District, and I began to understand different people’s point of view. I learned if you give someone a chance to talk you can learn an incredible amount of things about them.”

She eventually attended college at Meramec Community College and went to The University of Missouri in St. Louis getting into business.

“Meramec College is an amazing place to go. All the professors and people I went with were very understandable and a big help in my college career and got me to where I am today,” said Myers.

Although she didn’t have a law degree, Myers believed she was smart and would have made a good attorney. As a paralegal, she needed a legal education in order for a professional job. As an office manager, she saw behind the scene decisions that created a law firm and enjoyed hiring staff.

Even if business isn’t what you are interested in, Parkway North helps to support those that want to pursue a more creative field.

Danny Gerber, who graduated in 2015, took his passion for making videos and turned it into a career.

“The most memorable thing about Parkway North was the positive atmosphere. It was nice to know that people cared about you succeeding, and it was just a great community,” said Gerber.

Then, Gerber attended Lindenwood University which he’s still attending now.

“I’m currently majoring in Video Production. I want to be a videographer because I’ve been editing and making videos since I was eleven years old,” said Gerber.

Gerber currently travels to California weekly due to -the business and he gets well paid.

“Some downsides I have noticed in the videotographer business would be freelancing. Videography is a lot of work with very little pay for a long time. I worked for free and yes there is a downside at the beginning, but it builds the foundation your career is built on,” said Gerber.

Because of North’s diverse community, this causes students to empathize and care for others. This quality makes some students more inclined to take a path that involves caring for others.

Jade Rogers, who graduated in 2016, attends Meramec Community College, and is currently studying Nursing.  

“I loved Parkway North because […] it was such a diverse place which I really liked, and all the students and staff were so genuine,” said Rogers.

As for her college experience, Rogers is enjoying it, but acknowledges that there are some challenges.

“I like that you have your own freedom to do whatever basically. You can choose your schedule and classes depending on what you like and dislike. Classes are 50 minutes long, unlike high school, and you can take classes online. The only thing is dislike is that it is a lot more challenging than high school, but that is expected,” said Rogers.

As for her major, Rogers is just starting to understand all that the career entails, but “from what [she’s] heard, it’s very hard and time consuming.”

Myers, Gerber, and Rogers didn’t know what they were going to do when they first started at Parkway North, but they all found their passion.

by Ellie Canizares, staff writer