The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
The student news site of The Archer School for Girls

The Oracle
Cadence Callahan

Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor

Cadence Callahan first joined the Oracle as a Staff Reporter in 2019 and was Voices Editor in 2022. She was on the Executive Board of Best Buddies and the Black Student Union. Cadence graduated in 2023.

All content by Cadence Callahan
Depicted is a girl listening to music. Throughout high school, music has been a significant factor in my growth. For my final piece for The Oracle, I’d like to highlight a few significant musicians and songs that have been a constant in my life. (Graphic Illustration by Maia Alvarez)

Commentary: High school experience as told through music

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 18, 2023
Editors Rose Sarner ('23) and Maia Alvarez ('24) edit articles during class. Since NPR and other publications have ceased posting on Twitter, our editorial board has thought a lot about our presence on the platform.

[Photo] Editorial: Our presence on Twitter

By 22-23 Editorial Board
May 14, 2023
Senior Lucy Lassman writes words such as "voice" and "echo" on her own portrait to capture her Archer experience. Starting in February, seniors Sophie Altemus, Olivia Torrington and Mia Makower began working on completing every senior class member's portraits.

Parting portraits: Seniors work on portraits of graduating class

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
April 18, 2023
Nawi, Nanisca and Amenza stand together after prevailing in the final battle of the film. "The Woman King" is a historical epic that follows the "Agojie," an all-female unit of soldiers in Africa.

Review: ‘The Woman King’ deserves more praise

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
April 17, 2023
This image depicts characters Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) from the live-action "The Last of Us" series. I am an avid watcher and enjoyer of post-apocalyptic media, and I bonded with my cousin over the genre. 

Zombodie that I used to know

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 17, 2023
Decorations, goodie bags and instructions for the "self-love" bingo are presented in the Tia Palermo library. The librarians hosted a Valentine’s Day celebration after school Feb. 14.

Librarians host ‘self-love’ bingo for Valentine’s Day

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 22, 2023
Junior Maia Alvarez recites her selected poem for upper school students and judges. Archer’s upper school students gathered in the dining hall for Poetry Out Loud presentations Monday, Jan. 9.

Asomugha wins schoolwide Poetry Out Loud competition, advances to regionals

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
January 16, 2023
This promotional image features characters Claire Debella, Whiskey, Miles Bron, Lionel Toussaint and Birdie Jay who are all witnesses to a shocking revelation. "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is comical murder-mystery featuring an ensemble cast of eccentric characters. This film premiered on Netflix Dec. 23 and is available for streaming.

Review: ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ is full of layers

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
January 8, 2023
The Black Panther mask symbolizes heroism and strength. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is the sequel to "Black Panther" and was released in theaters Nov. 11. The film grapples with themes surrounding overcoming grief and coming-of-age.

Review: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is an honorable sequel

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
December 12, 2022
This sign placed on Nurse McNab's office door informs students of her whereabouts. Recently, there's been an increase in student absences within the Archer community due to the spread of viruses such as COVID-19. 

Community experiences influx of absences due to illness

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 30, 2022
Seniors Sydney Frank and Rose Sarner congratulate each other after a match against Buckley Oct. 18. After a successful season, the varsity tennis team advances to the CIF Division II playoffs, as well as individual playoffs.

Varsity tennis players reflect on undefeated league season, playoffs

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 15, 2022
This collage features promotional images from various Netflix true crime documentaries. With the recent release of "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," I've thought a lot about our society's consumption of true crime television, podcasts and videos.

Op-Ed: Consumers’ obsession with true crime is problematic, insensitive

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
October 17, 2022
This drawing features a book bag and the phrases "hardening" and "softening." There have been discussions on whether school environments should be "hardened" or "softened" as the number of school shootings in our nation keeps rising.

Op-Ed: “Hardening” schools isn’t the solution, it’s the problem

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
October 14, 2022
I found myself researching the situation after the multitude of articles The New York Times published on the resignation of previous Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez. Martinez and three of her colleagues are being demanded to resign by the public after a leaked audio of racist comments against Black and Indigenous communities in Los Angeles was posted on the online platform, Reddit.

[Photo] Op-Ed: City Council’s leaked audio emphasizes need to address colorism in Latino community

By Lizette Gonzalez, Features Editor
October 14, 2022
Buses arrive promptly at 3:00 p.m. to pick up students at the end of the school day. Archer has been working with Tumbleweed Transportation for over 10 years to provide buses to all of its students.

Students readjust to bus routes, reflect on ‘sense of community’

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
September 30, 2022
Eliza Tiles_edited

[Photo] Eliza Tiles

September 13, 2022
Paulina DePaulo

[Photo] Paulina DePaulo

September 13, 2022
Nyah Fernandez ('22), Vaughan Anoa'i ('22), Thea Leimone ('22), Chloe Fidler ('22) and Gracie Doyle ('22) embrace each other during their celebration in one of their final classes. The former editors reflected on their time writing for The Oracle and the life lessons they learned along the way.

Graduating editors reflect on experience writing for The Oracle, discuss “bittersweet feeling”

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 27, 2022
After a busier shift than normal, my apron would be covered with splatters of various creams, caramels and syrups. Throughout my time working at Starbucks, I have experimented with numerous ingredients and have discovered some of the best matcha-incorporated beverages.

Best matcha drinks, flavor combinations from a Starbucks barista

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 23, 2022
Swimmers Thea Leimone (’22), Chloe Resnick (’24), Amelia Hines (’24) and Lacey Thompson (’24) compete in the CIF Division 2 finals in Mission Viejo May 6. This was the team’s first time competing in the event. “Even though it was about results — and that’s what you’ll see in the weekly emails — the biggest part of the swim season is being together and being a part of a team,” Hines said.

Archer swimmers compete in CIF Division 2 finals, place 10th out of 50 schools

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 22, 2022
A sign posted in front of the Tia Palermo library informs students of Advanced Placement Exams taking place inside. Junior and senior students began taking the AP Exams May 2, a set of annual assessments administered by The College Board. These will be the last set of exams enforced by Archer as the school plans to phase out Advanced Placement courses and assessments next school year.

Students prepare for annual Advanced Placement Exams, reflect on last time testing

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 15, 2022
Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) engages with her students in the classroom. "Abbott Elementary" is a mockumentary that focuses on the trials and tribulations of a group of hard-working teachers at an underfunded public school.

Review: ‘Abbott Elementary’ takes a ‘new-school’ approach to network television

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
April 28, 2022
Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), Miram (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Abby (Hyein Park) pose after singing a song from their favorite boy band 4-TOWN. Disney's latest animation "Turning Red" follows 13-year-old Meilin Lee as she explores her ability to transform into a red panda. The film was released on Disney Plus March 11.

Review: ‘Turning Red’ encourages viewers to ’embrace the beast within’

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
April 24, 2022
Literature & board member Lily Kerner ('22) welcomes guests to Archer's annual Literature &... Conference. The conference featured over 20 student-led presentations that dissected various works of literature.

‘Geeking out over literature’: Archer hosts annual Literature &… Conference

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 24, 2022
Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Ava DuVernay, Simone Biles and Toni Morrison are depicted above. The month of March is recognized in the United States as Women's History Month, and in this piece, I wanted to highlight a handful of women I found inspirational and influential.

Commentary: Five trailblazing, inspirational Black women

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 19, 2022
Archer's varsity swim team competes in a meet Feb. 24. The team competed in the Liberty League meet, which was held at Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Pool. "A lot of us are really really good swimmers so we did really well in the meet and that was fun," junior Paulina DePaulo said.

‘It feels like you’re flying’: Varsity swimmers reflect on start of season

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 12, 2022
Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle pose as their characters in their hulu original series "PEN15." The show follows Erskine and Konkle as they depict fictionalize versions of their middle school selves.

Review: ‘PEN15’ transports viewers back to their embarrassing middle school years

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 2, 2022
A photo of me when I was in the first grade. This is before I began to get box braids and still wore traditional cornrows with beads. This was a hairstyle I wore for the majority of my childhood.

Commentary: Locs of love

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 18, 2022
Junior PAWS mentors Lily Propkop and Sofia Woodard work on assignments during their tutoring session on Jan. 25. PAWS is a tutoring program for all Archer students. The sessions are held Monday through Thursday from 3:15-5:15 in room 151.

PAWS tutoring program is more than a ‘homework club’

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 8, 2022
College banners hang on the wall of Archer’s admissions hallway and represent the various institutions Archer alumni have attended. Juniors are working with college guidance counselors to begin the process by attending informational presentations and scheduling one-on-one meetings with their counselors. 

College kickoff: Juniors begin college process

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 5, 2022
Junior Cadence Callahan shows the back of her curly hair. "I love my curls because they’re beautiful," Callahan said. "My hair defines me and is so important to me because there was once a time where Black people were ridiculed for their hair, and wearing my hair in its natural state is a rejection of Eurocentric beauty standards."

[Photo] ‘Never let fear stop you from taking chances’: Cadence Callahan wins ‘Best High Impact Film’ award for film ‘Hair Care’

By Nyah Fernandez, Multimedia Editor
March 17, 2022
"Encanto" is a Disney animated musical-comedy, and follows Mirabel Madrigal on her journey to save her family's magic and home. This film features amazing music with impactful messages for kids of all ages to enjoy.

Review: ‘Encanto’ is charming and features unforgettable hits

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
January 22, 2022
On Dec. 9. Archer's Executive Board of Advocacy and Diversity presented a video showcasing members of the community and their winter holiday celebrations. The video was presented in the form of a news broadcast and featured both students and faculty.

Community celebrations: EBAD presents on various winter holiday celebrations

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
December 16, 2021
Cardboard boxes labeled for each grade level are placed in the front hallway for students to leave their donations. On Friday, Dec. 3, the food drive hosted by The Artemis Center officially began. The Artemis Center partnered with the Westside Food Bank and students can donate canned goods, boxed cereal and more until Dec. 10.

Giving back: Artemis Center hosts holiday food drive

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
December 7, 2021
Alejandra Cortes ('24), Lily Dembo ('24), Shayaan Gandhi ('25) and Chloe Hayden ('24), all members of Archer’s robotics team, The Muses, work on their robot at their first competition. The meet was held on Sunday, Nov. 21 at the YULA Boys High School.

Battle Bots: Robotics team competes in first meet, reflects on first semester

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 30, 2021
A delicious bowl of mac and cheese sits on the kitchen counter. The meal isn't homemade, but it is a close second to the mac and cheese my mother makes for my family every Thanksgiving.

Commentary: A love letter to mac and cheese

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 29, 2021
Middle school swimmers huddle together in the pool before an event. The Middle school swim team participated in and won the 2021 Pacific Basin League Championship, which was held on Nov. 7 at The Culver City Municipal Plunge pool. The meet started at 4 p.m. and ended at 6:39 p.m.

Prevailing in the pool: Middle school swim team wins Pacific Basin League Championship

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 15, 2021
Liora Ginzburg from Salphie Sekayan’s mentorship group sits with a pumpkin on her head after being “pumpkin’d" as part of a game being played by the sophomore class. During the final week of October, the sophomore class played a game of Hot Pumpkin, a take on the game Assassin. This game was one of the many Halloween festivities taking place on Archer's campus.

‘Pumpkin’d’: Sophomore class plays Hot Pumpkin, a take on the game Assassin

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
November 2, 2021
Dean of Student Life, Equity and Inclusion Samantha Hazell-O'Brien and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resource Coordinator Elana Goldbaum present a video to Upper School students regarding costume selection and cultural appropriation. Middle School students watched the video on Oct. 19.

Appropriation vs. appreciation: Archer administrators present on Halloween costumes, cultural appropriation

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
October 29, 2021
Students stand behind booths promoting their club at Archer's annual club fair. The club fair was held on Sept. 24 and since then a variety of clubs are well underway. New and old clubs are experiencing in-person meetings for the first time since the return to campus.

Club spotlights: New and old clubs in full effect since Club Fair

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
October 26, 2021
Graphics such as this hang around campus and were posted on StuCo social media platforms, informing students of the revived StuCo event. First Fridays is a celebration held in the courtyard on the first Friday of the month. During these celebrations, a table is set up with free food, StuCo plays music and everyone dances.

‘First Fridays’: Revived Student Council event aims to unite grades

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
October 8, 2021
Sixth grade students, Lily Bratman, Kate Rheinheimer, Arissa Lalani, Farah Sandoval and Caroline Muldaur sit outside on the front lawn to enjoy their lunch. Along with a number of specialized protocols for unvaccinated students, eating lunch on the front lawn is a requirement for sixth graders and any unvaccinated seventh graders.

COVID control: Specialized COVID-19 protocols implemented for unvaccinated students

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
September 25, 2021
Lizette Gonzalez

[Photo] Lizette Gonzalez

September 2, 2019
This illustration depicts two teachers of color in a classroom with eager students. As of now 23% of Archer's faculty identify a POC. Digital illustration: Molly Solowitz.

‘It would just be nice to see someone who looked like me’: Community members reflect on Archer diversity

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
June 6, 2020
These are some of the pieces Azrialy has made in her free time.

From Arabic to art: Community explores new hobbies during quarantine

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 18, 2020
A promotional photo for the Netflix original "Never Have I Ever." The first season of the show premiered on April 27.

Review: Netflix’s ‘Never Have I Ever’ perfectly captures high school adolescence in a unique way

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
May 18, 2020
Ninth graders hike through the Arizona wilderness on the 2018 freshman Arrow Week expedition. This year's trip was cancelled due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

Ninth grade Arrow Week trip canceled due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 20, 2020
One of Netflix's promotional photos for the launch of season two. The show follows Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) on his hunt for love.

Review: Anyone could be watching ‘YOU,’ season 2

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
March 19, 2020
Lit & Conference Logo

Lit &… Conference postponed due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

By Lizette Gonzalez and Cadence Callahan
March 18, 2020
Freshman Annabelle Terner sits alone while scrolling through Instagram. Instagram creates pressure to appear a certain way; however, removing likes would help alleviate some of the stress teenage girls can feel surrounding the app.

Op-Ed: Removing Instagram likes would boost girls’ self esteem

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 28, 2020
The middle school soccer team plays a game against Crossroads on Jan. 14. The game took place on campus and the team lost.

‘Spirited’, ‘enthusiastic’ middle school soccer team worked on teamwork and goals during their season

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
February 13, 2020
The Archer panther performs at the pep rally held in dining hall. The pep rally was held Nov. 20 for all fall sport athletes.

Pep rally promotes ‘connection’, ‘community’ among athletes, students

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
January 16, 2020
Students gather around the YA Fiction Club booth at the annual club fair. The club fair is held annually in the courtyard in September and spans one lunch period.

Club leaders learn organizational skills, aim to ‘start conversations’

By Cadence Callahan, Voices Editor
December 14, 2019
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