Charlotte Joe (’27) performs one of her original songs “Youngest” at Archer’s first annual Coffee House. Joe said the event helped strengthen the community through arts. “It gave everyone a great chance to show off their works,” Joe said, “which is really nice, and bring[s] the archer community together. Photo by Natalie London (’26)

On a rainy day in the Zeller Student Center, music and poetry echoed through the halls after school.

The lively scene was Archer’s first annual coffeehouse Monday, Nov. 17. Devised by senior Emerson Cohen, coffeehouse events are open forums for students and faculty to share their artistic and literary work with the community. The event was co-sponsored by Archer’s performing arts department and the Pillars of Salt literary arts magazine. Specific teachers who helped with the co-sponsorship include arts teachers Chris Kapica and Kevin Cornwell, Orchestra Director Hannah Murray and English teacher and Pillars of Salt adviser Kathleen Keelty.

Cohen has been involved in Archer’s music program since she was in sixth grade, and she has been on the Music Leadership Team since ninth grade. She said she has recently been getting involved in Archer’s literary arts program through joining the literary magazine and taking a creative writing class starting this year. Cohen said she came up with the event because she wanted to find a way to integrate the two programs.

“I feel like there were so many great spaces to showcase the different programs individually, like the [choir] concerts and Pillars of Salt,” Cohen said, “but I really wanted to find a place to connect those and really bring students together across different disciplines.” 

Cohen said one of her favorite parts of the event was how she got to see the creative work her peers were doing on their own time. She said it was fun to see the teachers perform.

“It’s awesome to see the work that all these students have been creating,” Cohen said. “I have seen some of these students in the halls or seen them in different productions, but I’ve never had a chance to really hear the work they are creating on their own.”

Charlotte Joe (’27) attended and performed in the event. She said she was excited that Cohen put the event together with the help of other teachers. Joe said she loved seeing the performers feel proud showing off what they were working on.

“Emerson was able to bring together English [and creative writing] — what she really loves — and put it with music, which I was really glad about because my favorite thing is the intersection of those two: songwriting,” Joe said. “I was really glad I was able to … hear these people who also [write songs] at school.”

At the event, Joe performed her original song, “Youngest,” as well as a song she co-wrote with Cohen, “Free Without You.” She said the only performing she does during the school year takes place at school.

“I don’t really perform my original songs ever for people, and it’s only my second time performing an original at Archer,” Joe said. “It’s really nerve wracking because you’re like ‘Are they gonna like it or hate it?’ But one of the teachers cried … I’m glad they can relate, and I’m glad they were able to feel those emotions.” 

Keelty, who helped facilitate the event, said she really enjoyed it and that she is looking forward to the next one.

“I really loved all of it,” Keelty said. “We had students from ninth through 12th grade reading poetry and performing songs — individually and together — and just appreciating and supporting one another.”