Nothing is more empowering than when people come together in the darkest of times to support each other’s small successes because they are a big deal and they do matter. It is life giving and satisfying when we take time to grow with others, even in a time where growth seems to have stopped; where life seems to be whithering, and a draught has washed over the world. That is what Archer STL is all about. 

    Archer STL (or just Archer) is an all girls group, formed by senior Jay Viola, with the purpose of women empowering each other through their faith. It is primarily made up of FHC students, but is open for anyone to join, no matter what school they may attend. 

    “I started Archer STL because I felt a missing sense of community due to Covid-19,” Viola explained. “It can be easy to fall into feeling lonely and alone during quarantine, so I wanted to build a community of girls who can grow together and have a community to lean on.” 

    During this time of uncertainty with COVID-19, Viola wants Archer to be a place of positivity and growth for each member. 

    “The purpose of Archer is to grow in our faith, community, and as a person,” Viola said. “I picked the name Archer because it symbolizes trying to hit our mark/target just like an archer does. We wanna hit our target/goals in every aspect of life.” 

    It is this sense of community that has attracted so many members. Senior Emily Mundle joined Archer because of the group’s faith-based connection as a way to keep her motivated in a time of disappointment. 

    “I wanted to join because I love the Lord and this group will always hold me accountable and help my relationship with God grow,” Mundle said. 

    Religion and faith is a big focus for the group, however, you do not have to be religious to join the group. Archer does its best to make everyone feel welcome, no matter where they are at with their faith or how old they are. Freshman Xime Avila joined the group and instantly felt comfortable, even though she is new to high school and FHC. 

    “Being a freshman, the group environment has felt very welcoming because everyone is really nice and we all have a similar goal to grow spiritually and also as people,” Avila explained. “I hope to learn more about my faith and how to incorporate it into my life more and also about myself in a way.” 

    Besides just growing in faith, a primary goal of Acher’s is to take what is talked about in group time on Mondays at 2:00 pm via zoom call, and apply it throughout the week by simple acts of service for the community and themselves. 

    “Archer has helped me through this quarantine tremendously,” Mundle said. “I look forward to our meeting and our agendas for the week. I love how our community is also being affected by the small acts our group does such as writing messages to other people with chalk.. Archer is indescribable. My faith has grown and I’m not afraid to show my love for the Lord.” 

    Archer has brought a sense of community back into the lives of these girls, filling the absense of school. It has allowed for members to branch out while being themselves. 

    “ In Archer we play a little game to get to know each other more and then we have like a lesson and we talk and ask questions,” Avila said. “It has personally helped me talk to people that I wouldn’t have normally gotten the chance to talk to and also get different perspectives on things.”

    This group has grown dramatically in the last month, bringing in more and more members, even from neighboring schools like Francis Howell High. It has given these girls something to look forward to, something to brighten up their last few months of quarantine. 

    “The group has definitely grown more than what I expected ! We started off with around 25 girls, which were people I knew and invited,” Viola said. “We are up to around 70 girls now. A lot of the girls have said they loved the meetings because it starts their week off on a positive note. They also enjoy stepping out of their bubble and talking to girls they don’t normally talk to.” 

    To learn more about the group and topics they discuss, follow Archer STL on Instagram and feel free to direct message the page with any questions.