The Beacon

Totally legal ways to ask your crush to prom

Francisco Blancato, Contributor • April 25, 2025

Prom is coming up, and we all know what that means: trying to get a date to bring with you. So, out of the goodness of my heart, I’ve decided to help you out by compiling a list of ways to ask out your...

Required credits limit students’ pursuit of other interests

Maura Cohen, Contributor • April 25, 2025

When I left middle school and started my journey at Jackson-Reed, I was looking forward to several things but one of the most exciting prospects were electives. For the first time, I would have control...

When is it acceptable to wear shorts?

Tessa Frantz, Junior Editor • April 25, 2025

It is the point in the year where we begin the transition from winter to spring as the weather starts to get warmer and the ice encasing our summer wardrobes starts to melt. With this, the question everyone...

100 word rants: Assassin, Summer, Grad date

Edith Corrigan Conaty, Adler Amolsch, Eva Solomon, and Ava Serafino • April 25, 2025

Assassin We love Senior Assassin. Instead of lounging in our rooms on a Thursday night, we are running around the city, creeping into cemeteries, lurking outside of houses, and getting hit by cars....

The bright and dark sides of daylight saving time

Alex Oh, Contributor • April 25, 2025

The concept of daylight saving time (DST) is simple. Starting the second Sunday of March and ending the first Sunday of November, everyone in America (except Alaska, Hawaii, and Arizona for reasons unknown...

Trump Administration makes significant cuts to environmental management

Eloise Smekal, Contributor • April 25, 2025

The World Meteorological Organization released a report indicating that humankind has reached a new high in key climate change indicators. The Trump Administration has set a goal to roll back dozens of...

Top 10 classes that JR should add to the course selection list

The Beacon Staff • April 25, 2025

AP brain rot composition Advanced rizz Intro to delusion Parking 101 AP ChatPT Gardening Hot yogalates Basics of Fortnite Principles of sarcasm ...

Current events teach critical thinking in schools

Patrick Hutchins, Junior Editor • April 25, 2025

These past few months, I and many others within my age group have been enamored, confused, concerned, and shocked by many current events. Such times with significant political and social changes are very...

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...