The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
  • May 17Senior Recognition is happening Thursday, May 21.
  • May 17Yearbooks will be distributed to sixth through 11th grade Wednesday, May 20.
  • May 17The Senior Tea Party will take place May 19 in the courtyard.
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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
Sixth graders practice with their partners for the upcoming Maypole dance. The practice is led by the Director of Middle School Reed Farley. The Maypole ceremony has existed since 1981, when Archer was formerly the Eastern Star Home for Women.
From practice to performance
May 18, 2026
Seniors Josie White, Finley Vincent, Melinda Wang, Evan Weingarten and Skylar Roberts and junior Katia Thomas answer questions and give advice at the Q&A panel. The STEM symposium, an event to recognize and empower students' scientific accomplishments and hard work, was held on Thursday, May 14, in the library and was a day filled with science and camaraderie. Organizer Hanna Robertson said that, to further encourage girls to pursue STEM, a panel was added to the day's agenda. “Students get to talk about their experiences and challenges and what they’ve learned,” Robertson said. “For students that might be interested in potentially pursuing that or don’t really know what it’s like or what opportunities are available for them, they can learn more about it through the panel.”
Breaking barriers, building futures
May 15, 2026
Students read poems from pocket-sized slips of paper distributed by the creative writing class. Having access to poetry, English teacher Sara Rubin said, is important, as it provides an opportunity for students to experiment with literary expression. “It makes me think of Mary Oliver, who has a short piece on writing in which she talks about the importance of poetry in allowing people to imitate writing and thinking,” Rubin said. “It’s a step towards building your own voice.”
Poetry on the go
May 13, 2026
Sophomore Sophie Herbert inputs an order for a cookie at the Students for Shelter bake sale. Herbert is a co-founder of Students for Shelter, starting the club to support the unhoused population in Los Angeles. "Baking is one of my favorite hobbies," Herbert said. "Having a bake sale was fun for me, and it is just a great way to raise money and awareness that can go to so many different things."
Sweet success
May 9, 2026
Seniors decked in blue grip onto the rope tightly and pull with all their might against the 10th graders. The 12th grade competed in three rounds of tug-of-war against 11th, 10th and faculty during Color Wars Friday, April 24. Color Wars also included many other activities, such as mural competition, relay race and door decorating.
Tug, race, triumph
May 9, 2026
Junior Emmy Rapp closes her eyes and puts her hands together during a lunchtime yoga session Tuesday, April 21. "I always have something I need to be focusing on," Rapp said. "My daily life pulls me in so many different directions that having an intention of being present within myself and my breathing, and in the moment helps me stay so much more alive and just engaging with the people around me."
‘Airplane mode’
May 9, 2026
FEATURES
Sloane Fitzgibbon stands in front of the Maypole on Archer's front lawn. Fitzgibbon was recently elected as the student body president for the 2026-2027 school year by the upper school. "I’m excited for next year," Fitzgibbon said, "and what I’m going to be able to do with the school."
Q&A: Rising student body president reflects, explores growth, goals
By Sacha Yick, Staff Reporter • 11 hours ago
A student reaches into a Lay's Classic Potato Chips bag during lunch. Starting last year, the PepsiCo company has been rebranding Lay's chips visual identity in an effort to emphasize the "real potato" ingredients. Though marketing suggests that Lays chips are made solely from whole foods, nutrional science still classifies this product as ultra-processed, according to Hartford Helathcare.
Everything in moderation
By Nina Norwood, Staff Reporter • 11 hours ago
CEO of TreePeople Cassie Rauser stands a TreePeople's Coldwater Canyon Base. Rauser was named CEO in November after a two-year-long search. (Photo courtesy of TreePeople.)
Q&A: New CEO of TreePeople begins era of ‘yes, and’
By Vivianne Arnold, Science Editor • 23 hours ago
Students sit in the main courtyard, engaged in conversation and completing homework. According to New York University, many students find it challenging to balance the pressure to be productive with their daily lives. This often leads to overscheduling with activities, extracurriculars and clubs. Oakwood freshman Mika Testa said this constant busyness has impacted her negatively. "My motivation has definitely got worse, because I'm definitely more tired than I usually am," Testa said. "Especially this year, with the workload increasing, I'm definitely less motivated than I was last year."
Too tired to try
During lunch, Serena Ho (’29) and Maya Kurc (’29) laugh with each other. Happiness is an emotion that takes many forms, with social interaction having a significant impact on it, according to The Harvard Study of Adult Development. The Oracle surveyed the Archer community, and 45% of respondents said their moods are impacted by social interaction.
The choice is yours
Our Big Kitchen volunteers smile as they chop vegetables. A main part of OBK's meal preparation process is cutting fresh vegetables, which are essential to the nutritional quality of the final meal. Yossi Segelman, the director and founder of OBK, puts a lot of thought and care into the meals prepared. "Most of it has to do with the reality that the volunteers are doing most of the work," Segelman said. "So they need to — it needs to be items that volunteers can roll out or chop or be involved in. The whole point here, and the way we're able to do it at such low cost and at such volume, is because of the items that we've chosen." (Photo courtesy of OBK)
Q&A: Our Big Kitchen transforms from 6 to 17,000 volunteers
SPORTS
Abigail Lennon ('28) alongside her former partner Sara Salehi ('26), spikes the ball over the net during a beach volleyball Gold Coast League Individual match in 2025. Lennon has competed in the GCL Individual tournament for two consecutive years, placing third this year with her partner, Sophie Salehi ('28). "I think that we did really well this year," Lennon said. "We came in with a really positive mindset, and I think that showed in how we played." (Photo courtesy of Abigail Lennon)
Daisy Neipris ('32) prepares to catch a ball during practice. Neipris said part of what makes the game really fun is how everyone cheers for her, ultimately making her feel less nervous. "My friends are really supportive of me, and there's a lot of cheering when you walk up to the plate, and it makes everything less scary because if someone's hurling the ball at you, it's pretty scary," Neipris said. "Hearing people on my team and people who are watching the game cheer for me, it feels really good."
Sophomore Jaya Srinivasan angles her body to hit the softball. Srinivasan said the team was enthusiastic and had high energy the entire game. "The energy across the entire team was proably the best it has ever been," Srinivasan said, "even though we were down in the game."
Sixth grader Laila Zellars sprints across the Archer sport court. For her first year at Archer, Zellars said she has been trying out new things — track being one of them— and having fun playing sports. "This is my first year," Zellars said, "so I tried a lot of new things, like sports."
The Olympic Rings stand near Anterselva di Sopra (Antholz Obertal), which will host the biathlon competition at the Sudtirol Arena Alto Adige, as part of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Anterselva Di Mezzo, Italy, January 31, 2026. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
At the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament on March 7, Novak Djokovic in navy blue prepares to receive a serve from Kamil Majchrzak. Roxanne Hall ('30) is a tennis player, and she said she enjoyed watching the tournament in person and learning new skills and viewpoints of the match. "I think overall this was such a perspective-changing experience,” Hall said. "Just based off the way that I view tennis players and their strategy and the game itself.”
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CULTURE
Skylar Roberts ('26) plays the flute during the 2026 spring concert. Roberts has been part of Archer’s orchestra program since sixth grade and took on the role of assistant director this year. "It's been really rewarding to see the program grow," Roberts said. "I'm assistant director and flute section leader, and it's been great to see everything come together."
An array of Swedish candies lies in a bowl. Kandi, a Swedish candy store, recently opened on Montana Ave in Santa Monica. As a Santa Monica local and lover of sweets, this new shop was a must-try for me.
A girl sits on her bed and reads "The Fault in Our Stars." The book, written by John Green, follows two teenagers, Hazel Lancaster and Augustus, or Gus, Waters as they navigate a relationship complicated by Hazel's terminal cancer. Green's consistent embrace of Hazel's darker lens of how she sees the world is one of the many elements that made this book excellent.
Andrea Sachs, Nigel Kipling, Emily Charlton and Miranda Priestly appear on the official cover of "The Devil Wears Prada 2." The story explores how power in the fashion industry has shifted away from traditional magazine editors. The film has been well received for its modern take on fashion media, and it's updated portrayal of influence in the industry. (Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios)
The Fashion Moving Forward club meets inside of the art studio, where they do a used clothes exchange. Cub co-founder Lola Thomas ('26) said that having a club that focuses on fashion sustainability is vital in a school setting. "I have different types of activities. Some of them are fashion sustainability education, so learning about regenerative farming or different approaches," Thomas said. "What we're doing tomorrow is a clothing swap, so people can bring one to two pieces of clothing that they no longer love, and so they will swap with each other to get something new and interesting."
The show "Euphoria’s" protagonist, Rue, played by Zendaya, stares intensely into the barren dessert surrounded by characters from the show. "Euphoria" has had a tremendous influence on current media but has run into controversy with its latest season. (Promotional image from HBO)
Two promotional posters for "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 3 sit beside each other. The first two episodes of "Jujutsu Kaisen" premiered on Jan. 8, 2026, which set the stage for the rest of the third season. (Promotional image from of Mappa Studios)
On one side of the divided galler, Yasmine Haddad's (26) senior show, "Daw: Light in Darkness," is etched on the wall. Haddad said her theme developed organically as she began to recognize the personal significance of her, with some pieces drawing directly from her family's history. "This theme sort of came together only naturally because I made it for myself" Haddad said. "Rather than just rooted in my identity and my culture, it's specifically rooted in my family."
Dancers Sydney Lem ('28) and Sophie Lem('30) perform a duet in front of students for Archer's annual Festival of Dance. The festival occurred in the courtyard during lunch, where students could showcase dances they choreographed. Abigail Weiner ('27) emphasizes the joy of bringing an idea of a dance to the stage. “It was really special to see a dance that started in my kitchen and bedroom turn into a full performance on the Archer stage with my peers," Weiner said.
PODCAST
OPINION
Highlights from the past four National Scholastic Press Association Conferences are collaged together. These trips were a formative part of my Archer experience and helped me appreciate how special The Oracle is. (Photos provided by Sydney Tilles)
A graphic illustration depicts a person eating alone. This image reflects how food is centered on convenience and efficiency, which prioritizes speed and individual consumption over shared meals. This shift highlights how eating habits have changed the way people connect in everyday life. (Graphic Illustration by Nissara Shah)
Sabrina Carpenter sings during her Coachella performance as multi-colored lights shine on her face. "She had backup dancers, she had like a whole concert going on," Macy said. Macy went on to say that she thinks Carpenter had to put in more work because she's a woman. (Photo by Lucia Macy)
Sunlight hits The Archer School for Girls on Friday, Feb. 27. My six years at Archer have allowed me to explore my interests in journalism and fashion, which I am extremely grateful for. I plan to major in journalism and costume design in college, with the goal of pursuing professional opportunities in fashion journalism. 
A bee flies above a flower in a small garden. According to Nature of Americans, over 60% of adults report spending five or less hours in nature per week. However, nature offers many benefits to human health, and should be appreciated more for its contributions.
Bottles of water from different brands are displayed on the kitchen counter. Plastic bottles may use images of nature to appear more sustainable, while other brands have phrases like “Recycle Me!” on the bottle.
A pile of dishes lie near a sink after being washed. These dishes were just used and left out to dry. Scenes like these are often viewed as messy, even though they reflect normal, productive activity. According to Science Direct, many people corolate messiness with someone's personality and character.
An image shows Jaya Srinivasan ('28) spinning a globe while standing behind a map. The Blue Zones are five different places around the world where people live longer because of their unique ways of life specific to their location. Some of these practices include constantly being active by sheep farming in Sardinia, Italy, and maintaining a strong sense of community by gathering in groups called “moai ”in Okinawa, Japan.
Two students watch a recent sketch on Saturday Night Live titled "The 301 Spartans" on a laptop. The sketch, which starred then-host Jack Black as an unathletic and unqualified member of the Spartan army, played into stereotypes of laziness and lack of self-control that often surround larger bodies, demonstrating the political power of comedy in its ability to subconsciously reinforce or challenge social norms.