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The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

The Student Newspaper of Jackson-Reed High School

The Beacon

TIGER FAMILY: The varsity basketball team and the Anifantis family pose for a picture at center court pregame to celebrate Coach G night.
Tigers honor a beloved coach with a win against St. Albans
Justin Glenn, Sports Editor • December 5, 2024

Coach Gus Anifantis, an eight-year pillar of the JR Basketball program always preached three things about basketball: defense, consistency and teamwork. On Wednesday night when the varsity basketball team honored Anifantis’s legacy, they upheld his standard; dominating the St. Albans School 81-58, to capture their first win of the season. “We’re really proud of the work he put into this program and really proud of the kids,” said Eva Anifantis, Coach G’s wife. “We appreciate Athletic...

Uncovering DC’s top Target
Peyton Shum and Jordana Sloane November 25, 2024

They say the grass is always greener on the other side, and in regards to the Tenleytown Target, it's true. The many other DMV Targets boast superior qualities, so here’s a comprehensive list to fulfill...

Indigenous artist spotlight: The impactful Mary Holiday Black
Avani Patel, Contributor • November 25, 2024

Tradition keeps our history and stories alive. But what happens if these traditions don’t get passed onto the next generation? Mary Black created baskets with new techniques, allowing these stories to...

‘Saturday Night’: The not so humble beginnings of SNL
Elizabeth Block, Junior Editor • November 25, 2024

Starting in 1975 and being a successful show ever since, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live. In recognition of their fifty years of production, the movie Saturday Night brings...

Best chicken in Tenleytown
Best chicken in Tenleytown
Amanda Chau, Caroline Downs • November 25, 2024

We’re here today to give you the top five chicken spots of Tenley. Before we jump into our list, let’s clarify what qualifies us. After all, we are merely teenagers. First, every time we have hung...

Volume 88 Issue 2
The Beacon Staff November 25, 2024

Volume 88 Issue 1
Volume 88 Issue 1
October 15, 2024
Volume 87 Issue 7
Volume 87 Issue 7
June 11, 2024
Volume 87 Issue 6
Volume 87 Issue 6
May 3, 2024
Volume 87 Issue 5
Volume 87 Issue 5
March 29, 2024
JR expects to remove portable trailers next year
Grace Harscheid, Contributor • November 25, 2024

Jackson-Reed’s portable trailers are expected to leave next year, three years after their installation in September 2022. The portables were originally introduced to reduce overcrowding, an issue that has been gradually improving following the opening of MacArthur High School.  The six portable classrooms, each built to hold 25 students, have a total capacity of around 150 people. Principal Sah...

UPDATED SECURITY - A student places her computer through an x-ray machine upon entering JR. A new
security policy requires students to take their computers out of their bags.
New security policy causes delays
Edith Corrigan Conaty, Managing Editor • November 25, 2024

On the morning of November 12, as school started, a long line of students formed at Jackson-Reed’s main entrance due to a new security policy. For the time being, students must take their laptops out...

Ranked-choice voting passes in the District
Cole Zich, Written Content Editor • November 25, 2024

In the 2024 election, DC passed Initiative 83, a ballot measure establishing ranked choice voting and open primaries, both of which will take effect in June 2026. With over 70% of the vote, the initiative...

Pandas return to National Zoo
Brookelyn Lee, Contributor • November 25, 2024

On October 15, after an 8,000-mile journey from China, two giant pandas arrived at Dulles International Airport on a FedEx cargo plane. The pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, will make their public debut at...

GIVING BACK - A can drive box sits at JR’s main entrance. The drive is one of many fundraisers planned by SGA, which aims to give back to the local community.
SGA holds drives and fundraisers for charity
Devan Mehta, News Editor • November 25, 2024

At Jackson-Reed, the holiday season is all about giving back! Throughout November and December, there will be numerous opportunities for JR students to give back to their community through school-affiliated...

Dispensary to open in Tenleytown
Gil Leifman and Arden Luckett November 25, 2024

A medical cannabis dispensary is set to open on Wisconsin Avenue by December 1. The shop will take the place of the National Diving Center Scuba store at 4932 Wisconsin Avenue. This will be the first licensed...

The heart behind the stone; discovering Mr. Geremia’s past
Peyton Shum and Jordana Sloane November 25, 2024

On November 3rd, twenty-one years ago, a teacher walked into a classroom for the first time hoping to make a difference. This teacher was Robert Geremia, who still graces our classrooms today. Mean, tyrant, serious: these are only some of the words Geremia thinks his students use to describe him. In reality, we learned he has a very complex history.    It seems evident that Mr. Geremia...

Despite flaws, we should be grateful for our security system
Natalia Weinstein, Contributor • November 25, 2024

Metal detectors, x-ray machines, and security officers are some of the safety features that Jackson-Reed uses to ensure students get in and out of school safely. Not all schools are lucky enough to have...

Are you smarter than a freshman?
Are you smarter than a freshman?
Sarah Rose Wiesenfelder and Javier Thompson November 25, 2024

Welcome to “Are You Smarter than a Freshman?” Today, our contestants are English teacher Elsie Palmieri and freshman Ansel Kripke. In this game, we take one random teacher or senior and put them head-to-head...

Celebration of art and culture at Uptown Theater's reopening
Celebration of art and culture at Uptown Theater’s reopening
Adler Amolsch, Director of New Staff • November 25, 2024

After closing in March 2020, the historic Washington DC Uptown Theater is finally on track to reopen. Sandro Kereslidze and Tatiana Pastukhova, who recently purchased the Uptown, hope to continue the theater's...

Academy Spotlight: Engineering
Academy Spotlight: Engineering
Eli Herr, Contributor • November 25, 2024

High school academies have become increasingly popular in the past decade, as they push students to explore specific areas of interest. Although being in an academy isn’t mandatory, many students at...

A hidden secret: Trick-or-treating at the embassies
A hidden secret: Trick-or-treating at the embassies
Cecelia Grant, Junior Editor • November 25, 2024

Living in the nation’s capital in October allows for a number of spooky season festivities! One of DC’s unique Halloween activities takes place on Embassy Row. Here, by Massachusetts Avenue, visitors...

Hustle culture just reinforces judgment among students. Let’s not do that anymore.
Devan Mehta, News Editor • November 25, 2024

As a student in my final year at Jackson-Reed, I have witnessed the impacts of hustle culture firsthand. It factors into every area of our education, from what classes we take to what we plan to do after graduation. Furthermore, the presence of a class rank reinforces the idea that all students must be the best and take the most APs in order to be successful. Many students fall victim to it, including...

To work or not to work? That is the question
Henley Kaminskas, Features Editor • November 25, 2024

High school students tend to carry a lot of weight by looking for various extracurriculars to get involved in. While sports and clubs are the more popular and well-known activities to practice one’s...

Lenient dress code fosters self expression
Affomia Debebe and Alexa Lucas November 25, 2024

Jackson-Reed’s dress code is very relaxed; the mere fact that we are writing about said dress code elicited many “we have one?” remarks from our friends. But the leniency of the dress code means...

DCPS needs to prioritize diverse religious holidays
Nora Goldwasser, Contributor • November 25, 2024

Everyone knows the feeling of Christmas just around the corner, even when they don’t celebrate it, but why? Christmas is so synonymous with excitement for winter, but where is that for other important...

You’re not alone: Managing SAD
Ali Green, Contributor • November 25, 2024

As summer comes to a halt and winter begins, seasonal depression is upon us. It’s that magical time of the year when the sun sets too early and the temperature drops too low. These combinations of factors...

What reigns supreme: Halloween, Christmas, or Thanksgiving?
Padget Bowers-Shreve and Eva Solomon November 25, 2024

Ever since Halloween of last year, we have been pondering the so-called oldest question in existence: which holiday deserves to end off the year: Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas? Halloween: Halloween...

TIGER FAMILY: The varsity basketball team and the Anifantis family pose for a picture at center court pregame to celebrate Coach G night.
Tigers honor a beloved coach with a win against St. Albans
Justin Glenn, Sports Editor • December 5, 2024

Coach Gus Anifantis, an eight-year pillar of the JR Basketball program always preached three things about basketball: defense, consistency and teamwork. On Wednesday night when the varsity basketball team honored Anifantis’s legacy, they upheld his standard; dominating the St. Albans School 81-58, to capture their first win of the season. “We’re really proud of the work he put into this...

What to get your athlete friends this holiday season
Lewis Lahey, Contributor • November 25, 2024

  Having friends as athletes can be a struggle, from their demanding schedule to their obsessive competitiveness when out of uniform. The job only gets harder when the holidays roll around and,...

Which sports team has the best Instagram?
Esme Nooruddin and Eva Solomon November 25, 2024

As the fall season comes to a close we thought it was time for a professional review of the fall sports’ social media accounts. When ranking these profiles, our criteria was based on the aesthetics,...

Girls Basketball Coach Seraile Profile
Landon Green, Contributor • November 25, 2024

As the 2024-25 girls' basketball season approaches, the team is looking to make it to the DCIAA and DCSAA playoffs and win it all this season. During the offseason, the program made some key changes, one...

In a down football season, senior Aidan Giles shines
In a down football season, senior Aidan Giles shines
Justin Glenn, Sports Editor • November 25, 2024

Although the football season concluded with another 1-9 record, there’s opportunity for individual success. On the gridiron, senior Aidan Giles did so by excelling as both running back and linebacker...

Get ready to shred: What you need to demolish the slopes
James Fowlkes, Contributor • November 25, 2024

With lots of snow (hopefully) around the corner, people are excited to get on the slopes. Whether that means skiing or snowboarding, there are a couple of things those planning a snow-based excursion should...

November 2024 Spread
November 2024 Spread
Clara Doyle, Elena Arbealez, Lucas Dimou, Peyton Shum, and Avani Patel November 25, 2024

Click here to view the full spread!

Students express shock, fear— and a few feel optimistic
Isadora Groves and Maddie Nusbaum November 25, 2024

After Donald Trump’s decisive victory in this month’s presidential election, many JR students and staff grappled with feelings of disappointment, despair, and anxiety for the future, while a few celebrated...

Public education faces a threatening four years
Clara Doyle, Web Technical Editor • November 25, 2024

The second Trump presidency will have immense repercussions on public education in the United States. Trump plans to fight “wokeness” in schools by censoring curriculums, sending decisions surrounding...

Trump’s win is a setback for women
Peyton Shum and Avani Patel November 25, 2024

The 2024 election brought with it the possibility to break the continuous cycle of men running our country. That opportunity is now crushed. Had Vice President Kamala Harris won the election, women would...

White dudes, enemies, and shortcomings were key
Lucas Dimou, Contributor • November 25, 2024

Going into the 2024 race, President-elect Donald Trump faced two impeachments, 34 felony counts, the bitter history of January 6th, and he felt that the world stood against him. The Democrats felt that...

Club fair report: best activities to join at Jackson-Reed
Peyton Shum, Contributor • November 9, 2024

Free food. Do I have your attention? Walking through the packed clusters of tables at the club fair, free food is how a club stands out. Here’s a rundown of club fair highlights, based on what you could...

Day in the life of Emma Britton
Padget Bowers, Contributor • November 6, 2024

This article was a tough one. With so many kids, clubs, and activities going on, it was hard to choose one person’s jam packed day to write about. However, the person I decided to interview was absolutely...

La cultura de prisa sólo refuerza el juicio entre los estudiantes. No lo hagamos más.
Devan Mehta and Arden Luckett November 25, 2024

Como estudiante de mi último año en Jackson-Reed, he sido testigo directo del impacto de la cultura del ajetreo. Es un factor en todas las áreas de nuestra educación, desde las clases que tomamos a...

Impacto de la presidencia de Trump en la educación pública
November 25, 2024

La segunda presidencia de Trump tendrá inmensas repercusiones en la educación pública en los Estados...

El impacto de las elecciones en las mujeres
November 25, 2024

Las elecciones de 2024 trajeron consigo la posibilidad de romper el ciclo continuo de hombres dirigiendo...

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo al zoologico, pandas!
November 25, 2024

El 15 de octubre, después de un viaje de 8.000 millas desde China, dos pandas gigantes llegaron al aeropuerto...

La razón por la que Trump ganó el voto latino
November 25, 2024

En Washington DC, una comunidad en gran parte demócrata y liberal, donde el 97% de los votantes apoyaron...

Uncovering DC’s top Target
Peyton Shum and Jordana Sloane November 25, 2024

They say the grass is always greener on the other side, and in regards to the Tenleytown Target, it's true. The many other DMV Targets boast superior qualities, so here’s a comprehensive list to fulfill...

Indigenous artist spotlight: The impactful Mary Holiday Black
November 25, 2024

Tradition keeps our history and stories alive. But what happens if these traditions don’t get passed...

‘Saturday Night’: The not so humble beginnings of SNL
November 25, 2024

Starting in 1975 and being a successful show ever since, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Saturday...

Best chicken in Tenleytown
Best chicken in Tenleytown
November 25, 2024

We’re here today to give you the top five chicken spots of Tenley. Before we jump into our list, let’s...

The corniest holiday finds
November 25, 2024

  From Christmas socks and holiday pillows to matching pajamas, ‘tis the season for the cheesiest...

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