The Beacon

Why JR seniors deserve free periods

Nana Yeboah and Eva Okoobo • March 12, 2025

Free periods represent the sacrifice that many students have made to earn open credits. This privilege is earned, not given. Since the 9th grade, every Jackson-Reed student has looked forward to having...

It’s time to bring back February break

Miles Kenefick, Contributor • March 12, 2025

DCPS removed the February break in the 2023-2024 school year. According to the DCPS website, they did this to align with other schools and to shorten the school year, adding days to summer break. Personally,...

Trans healthcare threatened around the nation

James Davis, Contributor • March 12, 2025

Over the past few years, transgender people have been under unprecedented levels of scrutiny for our bodies and lifestyles. In 2024 alone, 50 bills were passed in various states restricting healthcare,...

Top 10 March Madness Punishments

The Beacon Staff • March 12, 2025

No ChatGPT On-campus lunch for a full semester Run a milk mile Go on a date with a GDS kid Wear the JROTC uniform 24-hour challenge at JR Turn down a Boone...

100 word rants: March Madness, Thrifting, Nostalgia

Devan Mehta, Padget Bowers-Shreve, and Mecca Osborne • March 12, 2025

March Madness It's that time of year again! When we all get strangely invested in college basketball and then go back to not caring in April. Of course I am talking about March Madness. Now, I know nothing...

Super Bowl LIX review

James Fowlkes, Contributor • March 12, 2025

In early February, one of the most legendary and popular sports games occurred: the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl has been around since 1967 when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. The...

Honors for all is not the solution

Will Pfaffenroth, Contributor • March 12, 2025

Honors for all is a simple idea; everyone gets to be in honors classes. Historically, honors classes were made for the few who would be able to tolerate the rigor of the course. However, nowadays, being...

A free press is imperative and in danger

The Beacon Staff • March 12, 2025

The Beacon believes President Donald Trump’s recent bans of news outlets from the White House press pool to be antidemocratic and in violation of Americans’ First Amendment rights. Last month,...

Overcrowding declines, but problems still remain

Eva Solomon, Junior Editor • March 12, 2025

At this point, MacArthur has been open for over a year, but has the Jackson-Reed overcrowding problem changed? The main reason for MacArthur's opening was to lessen JR’s overcrowding problem. As many...

Should middle school credits carry over?

Frank Blankcato, Contributor • March 12, 2025

As a freshman, I really value the high school credits I got in middle school. Entering high school with credits leads to fewer classes you’re required to complete, meaning less work and less late-night...

100 word rants: Idioms, grades, weather

Caroline Reilly, Jessica McCallum, and Eva Solomon • February 7, 2025

Idioms Recently, I overheard a person use the phrase "Who died and made you king?" mid-argument and I was reminded how much I love English idioms. Can we appreciate the awesomeness that is an idiom? A...

Black History is world history

Lilia Choice, Contributor • February 7, 2025

In late August 1619, 20 to 30 enslaved Africans arrived in Hampton, Virginia. These Africans were the first of many to arrive in America and build the foundation of a new country. Today's society simply...