The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
  • June 1The Oracle will be on hiatus for summer break until September.
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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
The Class of 2026 listens to commencent speaker Rae Wynn-Grant on Friday, May 22.
A class, but always a ‘family’: Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony
May 29, 2026
Broadcast: Splash from the past, jump to the future
Broadcast: Splash from the past, jump to the future
May 28, 2026
Senior leaders stand in row and applaud each other. Olivia Broock (‘27) is a member of Drama Queens and has been in the process of organizing the posters for the seniors in her class. She said it feels strange to be a rising senior and to see some of her closest friends embark on a new journey. “Honestly, some of these seniors are some of my best friends,” Broock said. “Whether I've gotten a lot closer with them this year or they've been one of my really close friends since I first got here, it really doesn't feel real that they're leaving.”
Photo Gallery: ‘A lasting impression’
May 27, 2026
After donating blood during Archer's annual blood drive, Bonnie Van Hoytema ('28) reaches for a bottle of water and a chocolate bar. Donors are given sugary snacks and fluids to help their bodies recover following the procedure. The campus event brought together students, faculty and staff in an effort to address ongoing blood shortages. "I donated because I want to make an impact for others," Van Hoytema said. "Our youth really drives activism, and I want to take advantage of opportunities like this to help."
Pints for a purpose
May 18, 2026
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
FEATURES
Beverly Hills Mayor Dr. Sharona R. Nazarian, PsyD, stands in front of the local Beverly Hills farmers market. She was first elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in June 2022. She was later elected as the first Iranian-Jewish Female Mayor in United States history.
Q&A: First Iranian-Jewish female mayor in the United States
By Grace Hinden and Staff Reporter • May 28, 2026
Liana Awai (‘29) shows her ear with her hearing aid attatched. Hearing aids amplify sound for those with partial hearing loss to hear sound more clearly. “At first I was hesitant because I just didn't want to get hearing aids, but I am so glad I did,” Awai said. “I felt proud that I could finally hear and understand and listen.”
Being deaf or hard of hearing: Barriers, support, lived experience
By Avery Reynolds, Staff Reporter • May 25, 2026
Fashion Alley in Downtown Los Angeles does not bustle with as many people as it used to. Recent ICE raids have created fear and left more store owners without customers. Store owner Santiago Rodriguez has felt the impact of lower sales. "Well, people are scared," Rodriguez said. "When people notice immigration around these places — well, people, more than anything, in businesses and small businesses, people stop coming."
Downtown Los Angeles store owners in crisis
By Amy Paz Rojas, Staff Reporter • May 25, 2026
A teenage girl is shown, in silhouette, holding an illuminated phone as notification icons appear. Online platforms have become central to how many teens experience attention and social feedback. “Validation through likes is very tempting, but it’s pretty much a black hole,” therapist Karen Wolfe said. "Going for likes and comments is really harmful because you might get that like or comment, and then you feel good for that moment, but it actually makes the hunger for it stronger." (Photo Illustration by Arissa Lalani)
Addicted to approval
Rory O'Malley poses for a headshot. He got his first job on Broadway in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" in 2006. "I remember being backstage before the curtain opened and thinking this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, which is very strange for an 8-year-old," O'Malley said, "but I just loved it and knew that I wanted to pursue it." (Photo courtesy of Rory O'Malley)
Q&A: Rory O’Malley’s experence being an actor, activist
A student participates in one of Victory Afghanistan’s online classes. Founder of SoHo Shakespeare Company Laura Yumi Snell said she is a volunteer acting teacher with Victory Afghanistan because she believes that education is the most important tool for people to have access to. “Everything we do revolves around education,” Snell said. ”If you don't have access to it, then you are missing out on one of the most important things in life, which is to learn, especially in a communal setting among peers who will challenge and support you.” (Photo Courtesy of Victory Afghanistan Senior Project Coordinator)
‘Hope and love can keep us alive’
SPORTS
Prepping for a serve, Elle Spiegel ('30) gets ready to hit to her opponent. Ava Gabor ('32) said being in the right mindset is especially crucial for serves because they are the first ball that gets put into play. "It's really important to lift yourself back up when you get stressed," Gabor said, “because I guarantee if you play tennis, you will be down, but you just have to keep going.”
The Archer varisty softball team poses for a photo after their second-to-last game against Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School. Luna Huber-Verjan ('28) said she found the game against Cantwell-Sacred Heart just as difficult as the game against Windward. "It was hard playing against such difficult opponents and then losing to Windward," Huber-Verjan said, "but we were so close and played our best both times. (Photo courtesy of Archer Athletics)
Archer’s varsity softball team poses for a photo on Senior Night when they played their game against Brentwood School. The only senior on the team, Cleo Wilson, said that while the season has come with many challenges, she has been able to remain positive by remembering her purpose. “Remembering it’s supposed to be fun has been my main mindset throughout the season,” Wilson said, “and I’m glad that has been able to show through my energy and positivity.”
During an Archer varsity soccer game, Jackie Mayne ('28) chases after the ball in a white and purple Archer jersey. After tearing her ACL, Mayne said it was difficult to adjust to a life without the sport she had previously committed so much time to. "I tore my ACL, but I felt very little pain through it all, that was never the hardest part of the recovery process," Mayne said. "Understanding what it meant for me was just a really tough pill to swallow." (Photo courtesy of Archer Athletics)
Standing in front of an audience in the Zeller Student Center, Director of Athletics Kim Smith introduces the awards for the night. The Archer Athletics Awards Night was organized by Smith to celebrate the sports programs and student-athletes. “The goal is to bring our entire athletics community together so we get to celebrate each of our teams and our individual athletes and the coaches and to thank our support staff,” Smith said. “It’s an amazing event.”
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)
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CULTURE
Dance teacher Andrea Locke hands out a gift of gemstones to the dancers, correlating to the Night of Dance theme, Radiance. Head senior dance captains Josie White ('26) and Liv Karp ('26) shared gratitude and thanks to the Night of Dance community. “Everyone needs that little moment where people are telling you, ‘I'm proud of you and all the hard work that you went through to get to that point of success,'" dancer Valerie Peñaloza (‘29) said.
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."
Poetry Allowed finalist Samara Gottlieb (‘28) recites “Universal Truths” by Shira Haus in the Poetry Allowed finals. In this two-round competition, the five finalists each chose one poem per round to recite for a judging panel. Gottlieb said she selected “Universal Truths” because she loved Haus’ use of “emotional shifts” and figurative language. “Poetry is something I've always really, really loved — writing and reading it,” Gottlieb said, “and I didn't feel like I was brave enough to share my own poetry, but recitation is something I've been really interested in, so I figured exploring something adjacent to a monologue. What's the harm in that?”
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."
A student scrolls on Instagram, pausing to watch videos of an artist singing. Social media has provided an entirely new perspective on growing a fanbase and releasing music. Isolabella, a singer from the UK, said she got to watch her fanbase grow through social media. "It started out literally like three people in the group chat," Isolabella said, "and now it's just evolved." 
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)
PODCAST
OPINION
The rising 2026-2027 Oracle editoral board poses for a picture after being inducted into their new roles. (Photo by Kristin Taylor)
Masked law enforcement officers, including HSI and ICE agents, take people into custody at an immigration court in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin O'Hara
Different types of milks, such as cow milk and hemp milk sit on a kitchen counter. Plant based milks are more sustainable than cow's milk because they don't release as much greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and use less land. There are many different types of plant based milks — each with different positive and negative factors.
A graphic illustration depicts a brain meditating, exercising and journaling. These are all examples of doing what you love, which is key to improving overall wellness, according to Mayo Clinic. Prioritizing mental health is vital to living a life of quality, fulfillment and joy. (Graphic illustration by Georgia Lebowitz)
A crying silhoutte sits in front of a film slate titled "Take two: crying scene." Archer film student Riley Keston ('29) said filmmakers might rely on tears for emotional portrayal — though it's not necessarily a good thing — to make films more enjoyable. "If they show a film where their emotions were nothing," Keston said, "then they wouldn't have any plot." (Graphic Illustration by Nina Norwood)
This image depicts five Needohs with varying colors. Needohs are a form of fidget toy, often used as a stress reliever.
Co-Editors-in-Chief Oona Seppala ('26) and Emily Paschall ('26) pose for a picture during Archer's college commitment celebration May 1. As graduation nears, the two reflected on their purpose leading The Oracle over the last year. (Photo courtesy of Allegra Carney)
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)