My favorite day of the school year is graduation. Of course, our Archer girls are authentic and vibrant – wearing white dresses, donning fresh floral wreaths in their hair and clutching shiny new high school diplomas. Though this past June, we were obligated to honor our class of 2020 in a virtual ceremony, there was no diminution of celebration. In fact, the graduation was even more poignant, serving as a bright light for goodness, while we collectively grieve as our society wrestles with the challenging times we are living in. The academic excellence, the sparkling personalities, the earned accolades, the thoughtful humanism and exuberant confidence were in full, technicolor display. However, what was most compelling was the immense gratitude each young woman expressed for her now alma mater. Watching on my computer screen at home, I was overwhelmed with pride for what our students accomplished during their Archer education and unbridled hope for their futures and our world.
As our school commemorates its 25th anniversary this year, we are rejoicing in our history, finding joy in the present, and looking to the future. What will always remain true is that an Archer girl is bright, creative, kind, and motivated. When she graduates, she is a self-possessed, entrepreneurial young woman with an irrepressible desire to achieve greatness. Once she leaves the walls of Archer, she goes to medical school, starts her own business, becomes a wife and mother, designs interior spaces, defends clients in a courtroom, does scientific research, develops projects in the entertainment industry, gets involved in community organizing, runs for office, creates architectural drawings, excels in musical artistry. The possibilities are endless.
We ask our students to be at once ambitious and joyful. We offer excellence in teaching and learning. We take pride in our unparalleled, research-based teaching methods. Simultaneously, we cherish our happy culture. Archer is known for its inclusive environment that fosters sisterhood and collaboration. We expect our students to lead balanced lives and to find the joy in all that they do - inside and outside the classroom.
Thank you for your interest in Archer. To safeguard the health of the Archer community and every prospective family, all Archer Admissions events will be held virtually this year. I invite you to attend a virtual coffee, open house, student panel or all three. I hope that you will discover that Archer and your daughter might be the right match.