Jackson-Reed hosted an alumni event on April 26th to celebrate 90 years of the school and its former students’ successes. During the event, JR welcomed alumni to the school, giving them an opportunity to tour the new building, engage with current students, and recount memories from when they were high schoolers. Members of The Beacon staff were also given the chance to interview some of these individuals through both a form sent out and meaningful, in-person conversations.

In these conversations, favorite memories, teachers, and classes were commonly highlighted by JR alumni. Glenda Jennings Harrison, who graduated in 1976, recalled her old Spanish teacher, Eloise Spicer, who was a “no nonsense teacher who believed in educating her students through travel” and took her and a few other students to Spain and North Africa. Harrison remembered having a “great time with her,” and the trip was one of her most valued JR experiences.

A former Managing Editor of The Beacon, Cookie Tager, class of 1961, described her most memorable time at JR as “studying journalism with Dr. Boyle,” an impactful teacher who fostered her passion for writing and told Tager and her classmates that “we would succeed at anything we wanted if we learned how to write with Dr. Boyle.” The teachers of JR have and will always be special people to JR students, and it’s evident in the way alumni speak of them in such praise and admiration, even years after graduation.

Beyond the fond memories, alumni also wished to impart their wisdom gained from their time at JR with students. When asked about what advice she had for current students, Harrison answered, “Follow your dreams, make sure you read everything you get your hands on.” Alumni Julie Mangis, a 1960 JR graduate who completed The Beacon form, also emphasized the importance of education to success by advising students, “Make the most of your education. Aspire to be excellent in everything you do.” 

The event ended with Principal Sah Brown and the President of the JR Alumni Association, John Libby, speaking about what makes JR so magnetic, and the underlying reason was the community and fortitude here at JR. Each of the speakers highlighted the inclusivity of JR and its vitality to shape numerous successful students. Every day, we are lucky enough to attend a school where our opinions are valued, and our voices are heard. Our learning comes not only from classes, but from the people we meet, going to them, and the diversity that inherently follows. 

JR alumni came back to celebrate 90 years of growth and perseverance because this school gave them something worth coming back to. Fond memories were created in the halls that we walk through on a daily basis, and we’re beyond lucky to walk the trails that previous students made for us. Harrison said, “Wilson gave me the academic foundation to succeed in my achievements,” and if one thing’s for sure, it’s that this school has continued to provide that same foundation for countless other students.

The alumni event was a beautiful celebration of past years and students, and gave us a new perspective on the evolution and significant aspects of Jackson-Reed. Whether it’s 1936 or 2026, JR has always been a place where people know they can succeed and want to come back to. •