Diana Meehan and Megan Callaway embrace in front of Head of School Elizabeth English as English recognizes them as the founders of Archer. Meehan and Callaway both stood at the podium to speak to Archer’s history, which Maximo said was her of favorite part of Founders Day. “I love hearing their stories and how they came to make Archer, as well as getting the rose,” Maximo said. “It’s very special — it’s a tradition.”

Alumna Cat Oriel’s (’16) Rising Star award sits next to a bouquet of flowers. In addition to Oriel’s award, alumna Sarah Staudinger (’07) received the Professional Achievement award. “I really enjoy when they give out the Diana awards because I think it is inspiring to look to these women who are Archer graduates,” Cezanne Silverton (’25) said. “That’s going to be me one day, and I can look to them and aspire to embody the values that they have in their alum lives.”

Student Body President Rachel Chung (’25) delivers a speech to the senior class to celebrate their resilience and hard work. Junior Belén Haro said she enjoyed supporting and commemorating the seniors. “It was a really special moment because all the seniors — which I grew up with — [had accomplishments] in theater, inventing, robotics, engineering, et cetera,” Haro said. “I got to see them being recognized, and I thought that was pretty sweet.”

Rows of empty chairs are set up in the courtyard in preparation for Founders Day. Sectioned off by grade level, 12th graders and parents sat towards the front of the courtyard. All students were required to be in formal uniform. Although Laney Maximo (’25) said she found past Founders Days to be boring, she said participating in the ceremony as a senior was worth the wait. “It’s kind of like, ‘Oh, why am I here?’ But then once you’re a senior, you really feel like, ‘Wow, this is for me,’ and you get to walk up,” Maximo said. “It’s amazing.”

Uma Nambiar (’25), Khan, Gemma Wyles (’25), Sophie Krivoy (’27) and Phoebe Casparian (’27) sing “What Happens When A Woman?” with the Unaccompanied Minors. In addition to the choir performance, the Upper School Orchestra played “Royals.” Curry said she is grateful to be a part of the ceremony. “On top of that, I think [Founders Day] is a part of Archer culture because of some of the moments we have during Founders Day, like hearing the story of Archer and hearing about the power of an all girls school,” Curry said. “While you’re actively at Archer, it’s easy to forget that, and I think we have to sit and reflect on how girls schools make really powerful women.”

Pink roses lay on a table to be distributed to seniors. Upper School Director Maggie Cenan gave each senior a rose and a pin to commemorate their final year at Archer. “This is the last year that I’m here, and [I’m] going to miss it. But at the same time, it’s a new chapter in [my] life,” Maximo said.

Receiving her rose, Ella Dorfman (’25) smiles at Cenan. Twelfth grade Dean of Culture, Community and Belonging Casey Huff called the names of all 71 seniors to receive a rose. “My favorite part of Founders Day was the individual calling of each senior’s name because a lot of times, we hear about specific seniors and when people are doing super cool things. But, to have every member of the class have their name called out represents all the members of our class,” Sydney Curry (’25) said. “I think there’s something really special about that.”

Zara Khan (’25) smiles at the audience of students, parents and faculty while holding her rose. Curry said, before she was a senior, she didn’t fully understand the importance of Founders Day. “As a senior, I now get it — if you sit in the audience every single year and you’re watching the seniors, by the time you get to senior year, it’s such a moment,” Curry said. “It’s the thing you’ve been waiting for when you finally get to experience why Archer makes it such a big deal, why it’s so salient.”

After the ceremony, Natalie Huang (’25), Lily Poon (’25) and Addie Meyers (’25) pose to take a picture. Many seniors took pictures with their family and friends after the ceremony to capture moments during Founders Day. “A moment that I enjoyed is right after Founders Day, when a lot of seniors were taking pictures,” Curry said. “They were kind of doing things [to] soak up those last Founders Day memories. Because even if we forget what was said during the speeches, and even if we forget everyone who was in our class, who will forever have those pictures, and those will be cemented memories.”