Hello, Archer! I hope all of you had delightful, restful summers and enjoyed the first week back at school.

My name is Anna Brodsky, and I’m thrilled to continue as Editor-in-Chief of the Oracle. I’d like to tell you a bit about myself and what I hope the Oracle will accomplish this year.

I first joined the Oracle as a timid freshman in 2016, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Writing about the community has given me insight into the incredible effort that goes into learning, teaching and working at Archer. Journalism has helped me follow my curiosity and trust myself. I’ve been fortunate to participate in programs including the National Student Leadership Conference in Journalism, Film and Media Arts and the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute. I’ve also spoken at several national conventions. Basically, I nerd out about this stuff.

But I don’t do this for myself, and neither does anyone else on staff. We write for you.

Our student readership isn’t where we want it to be. I get it. You’re juggling extracurriculars with challenging coursework. We know you won’t read our website if what we write isn’t important to you. That’s why we’ll be surveying the student body to find out which stories you want to see. If utilized properly, a student newspaper can be a wonderful forum for student voices, but we can’t make the Oracle relevant without your help.

I know what you’re thinking. Anna, this whole “writing for students” thing sounds great, but I don’t know if I’ll remember to check the website. Not to worry. We have a mobile app to make it easier for you to keep up with all things Archer. Just head to the app store, download the app “Student News Source.” In the “search for school name” box, type in “Archer” and select “The Archer School for Girls.” We’d love it if you’d leave notifications on — we promise we’ll make them worth your while.

One of my goals for the year is to quote more people in our stories. If a staffer approaches you for an interview, don’t be shy — every voice is important, and we want yours to be shared. And if there’s an on- or off-campus issue you’re passionate about, consider writing a Letter to the Editor. Just click “Submit Letter” above and tell us how you feel.

We value your feedback, so if there’s anything we could be doing better, please reach out to the Editorial Board at [email protected]. No matter is too small — we work hard so we can serve you, but we don’t know how we’re doing unless you tell us.

That’s it from me! Thank you for reading this letter, and I look forward to hearing your voices this year.

Best,

Anna Brodsky

Editor-in-Chief, 2019-2020