The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
  • March 238th Grade Service Day will happen Friday, March 27.
  • March 23Final Friday will take place in the courtyard during lunch Friday, March 27.
  • March 23A Jam Session will take place Thursday, March 26.
The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
NEWS
Ada Scatena (‘31) runs while being hit with a cloud of yellow powder. Scatena said it is essential to celebrate holidays like Holi in order to highlight the greater variety of cultures at Archer. “I think it’s important to learn about different people’s cultures because I think we focus so much on really populated religions and cultures and holidays based off that, like Christmas and Hanukkah,” Scatena said. “So I think it’s really interesting to learn about other community-building holidays.”
‘Placing prosperity on other people’
By Maya Hernández and Izzie Erickson • 16 hours ago

Shrieks of laughter, feet racing across grass and music playing could all be heard during Archer's fourth annual Holi celebration Friday,...

Archer dads' annual ski trip
Archer dads’ annual ski trip
By Izzie Erickson, Multimedia Reporter • March 19, 2026

Sudents and parents trekked their way up to Mammoth Mountain March 6, where a weekend of skiing, snowboarding, group dinners and bonding awaited...

Freshmen attended UCLA Rape Treatment presentations led by Archer alumna Liadon Soloman and Alexa Arellano, March 2, March 4 and March 13. The students learned about about sexual violence, consent and support. “Whether something happened recently or years ago, it still matters, and you can still access resources and support,” Arellano said. “We want students to know they’re never alone in this, and help is available whenever they need it.”
Freshman learn about sexual violence, consent, support with UCLA Rape Treatment Center
By Lila Stotland, Staff Reporter • March 19, 2026

Content Warning: This article mentions sexual violence, sexual assault and rape. If you or anyone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused,...

FEATURES
Made by Huizhong Yan, curry puffs, cold noodles, tea eggs and a steamed bun sit in containers. Yan has been teaching at Westside Chinese School for over 30 years and makes food for her students to sell every Saturday.
A graphic depicts a student encircled by a variety of pressures from the college process, including parental pressure. Parental involvement in the college process can often cause additional stress for students, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Director of College Guidance Ivan Hauck said misinformation in the college process can lead to unintentional parental pressures. "I think most parents that I talk to are very aware of the external pressures that exist on teenagers anyway: social media, peers, et cetera," Hauck said. "They try, very intentionally, not to put pressure on their kids." (Graphic Illustration by Gabby Kaplan)
Theatre Palisades marketing chair Michael Keith stands on a ladder, switching out the letters on the marquee sign for Theatre Palisades. Before the Palisades fires of January 2025 struck, the sign held the title of their upcoming production, “A Second Oy Vey!” A year later in February 2026, the sign is left with the remaining letters. Hahnah Jackson, a member of the Theatre Palisades board of directors, held a cleanup Feb. 21 to prepare for the theater’s rebuilding. “Especially today, just getting people out, being active is a way to be like ‘Yeah, I’m still here, we are still doing things,’” Jackson said. “It makes the members feel like there is still a Theatre Palisades.”
A family gathers to eat Iftar, a meal during Ramadan that occurs after sundown. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is a sacred time when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, pray at night and focus on self-reflection. “I love the community built during Ramadan,” sophomore Sarah Mzoughi said. “Knowing that I’m fasting with my family and so many others in the world encourages and empowers me.” (Photo courtesy of RJ Patel)
Maya Sakhnini ('27) sits with her Eagle Scout badge and her sash on the front veranda. She became an Eagle Scout the summer before 10th grade and was a Scout for four years. "I was invited by a friend," Sakhnini said. "I'm very outdoorsy, so I like the outdoor aspects – especially my troop – ; they're very active."
A map of the world has pins showing the locations where five journalists: Dan Eldon, Fatima Hassouna, Don Lemon, Daniel Pearl and Evan Gershkovich were either killed or imprisoned. All of the journalists were in the process of researching or documenting when they were prosecuted or murdered. (Graphic illustration by Maya Hernández)
CULTURE
Waffles, jumbo shrimp and cheesy grits from Gritz N' Wafflez sit at the center of a table between other dishes. Gritz N' Wafflez is a restaruant in Koreatown that offers brunch favorites with a southern twist. Photo Credit: Nina Norwood
Review: Gritz ‘N Wafflez perfectly embodies its motto of ‘Texas flava, southern hospitality’
By Nina Norwood, Staff Reporter • 16 hours ago

The first thing I noticed was the gold tile walkway. The shimmering flooring began at the doorstep and drew me in. Before I knew it, I felt like...

A crowd lingers within the Euclid Gallery Feb. 28 for the opening of Bruce Johnson's exhibition. The gallery is located in the front of Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc., an architecture firm's office space. The exhibition features multiple paintings, some of which survived Johnson's studio burning in the Eaton fires of 2025. Peter Wilson, the office director of HGA, said that the paintings carry a meaning far deeper than what appears. "He has been strong enough and resilient enough to keep wanting to create," Wilson said. "I've had other friends who lost their homes in the fire, and it's been a really rough year for them, and they're still in transition. This artist seems like he's doing well and thriving."
Setting an ‘intention for the day’ with art
March 21, 2026
Seniors take the floor
Seniors take the floor
March 16, 2026
In the Tia Palermo library, student Paloma Lebenzon (’27) works on a poster. Student activists invited the whole school to make posters on Tuesday, Feb. 17, for the 10th, 11th and 12th graders to carry during the walk out the following day. While listening to Bad Bunny's music, students wrote messages that connected to their identity and beliefs. “I love being a Latina, especially because my parents had a hard time growing up, and I thankful for them to give me an opportunity to come to Archer and to be living where I am now,” Andrea ('28), who asked to be identified by only her first name, said. “I feel like doing this walkout has really shaped how I feel, and it gives me a chance to advocate for me.”
‘No te puedo borrar’
March 13, 2026
During a tech week rehearsal, Olivia Karp ('26), a member of the school's dance leadership team, coordinates with art teacher Andrea Locke and tech crew assistants as the dancers complete a run-through. The tech crew works behind the scenes to manage props, guide performers and keep rehearsals on schedule, helping ensure the production runs smoothly. "Its all about keeping everything organized and on track," tech member Gaia Bhavsar ('27) said. "Communication is key, especially with so many dancers of different ages performing in a single show."
Behind the curtains
March 13, 2026
SPORTS
Love at first trot
Love at first trot
By Julia Ong, Senior Reporter • March 21, 2026

Camille Chi ('28) and Funny This is sophmore Camille Chi and her New Forest pony named Funny. According to Chi, Funny has carried her through...

Charlotte Stein ('26) sets the ball to Phoebe Measer ('27). Measer said that this season was her first time playing with Stein. "I think I've definitely learned a lot from having a partner who's older than me. She's like my mentor," Measer said. " I think like even though Charlotte and I are not in the same grade, we still have a lot of respect towards each other."
‘As individuals, we’re just players, but when we come together, we create a beautiful team’
By Dara Alitoro, Multimedia Reporter • March 21, 2026

With only two players on the court each match, senior Sara Salehi said beach volleyball is a sport that demands more than just skill. She...

OPINION
Queer flags are placed against a television screen. Having queer characters in the media is important because it can allow LGBTQ+ people see themselves represented. According to PBS all forms of diversity and representation are important to include in shows because they more accurately reflect society. (Graphic Illustration by Ardyn Maynard)
Op-ed: Queer representation is human representation
By Ardyn Maynard, Staff Reporter • March 17, 2026

More than 50 years ago, the first show to include a LGBTQ+ character on primetime television was "All in the Family" in 1971, which featured...

Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Kendall Coyne (26) of the United States and Hilary Knight (21) of the United States celebrate after winning the gold medal in women's ice hockey after defeating Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Editorial: Stop disrespecting women’s sports
By 25-26 Oracle Editorial Board • March 16, 2026

Hockey is facing a steep decline in popularity. Over the past 15 years, Canadian youth hockey has seen nearly a 25% drop in participation, while...

COLUMNISTS
Silhouettes of dancers strike poses against a pink background while a young girl watches, internalizing the "ideal" appearance and body of a dancer. Much of current Westernized dance culture relies on notions of pain being a harbinger of success, glorifying the intense physical toll that dancing can take on the body. (Graphic Illustration by Clara Lieberstein)
Column: The danger of appearance-based sports
By Clara Lieberstein, Columnist • March 1, 2026

In 1978, sports philosopher David Best published “Philosophy and Human Movement” — a philosophical take on two different categories that...

Two girls color on a table runner with crayons and colored pencils. Acts of artistry are one way students return to their inner child and find their compass.
Column: Decision fatigue, the return to childhood
By Meadbh Brown, Columnist • February 9, 2026

The other day, I went to the grocery store to buy granola and, sadly, left empty-handed after staring down a wall of over 30 brands, flavors...

PODCAST
S6E15 - The Scoop on the behind-the-scenes process of creating, styling 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore'
S6E15 – The Scoop on the behind-the-scenes process of creating, styling ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’
By Phoebe Casparian and Shae Killam • March 13, 2026

In this episode of The Scoop, multimedia reporter Phoebe Casparian (‘27) and Co-Outreach Editor Shae Killam (‘27) explored the behind-the-scenes...

S3E5 - Performing Desire: Gender, sexuality, power in The Graduate, Y Tu Mamá También
S3E5 – Performing Desire: Gender, sexuality, power in The Graduate, Y Tu Mamá También
By Olivia Hallinan-Gan, Podcaster • March 3, 2026

Content warning: This podcast episode discusses R-rated films, with themes such as sex, that may not be suitable for all listeners. On this...