“All my friends and almost everyone I know smokes weed, it’s almost more uncommon to meet someone who doesn’t.” Those are the words of a senior when asked about how prevalent she feels marijuana...

At Jackson-Reed, it’s easier to get weed than you might think. Whether through a fake ID, a teenage dealer, a friend, or a family member, almost any student who wants to get weed easily can—and use...

As you’re reading this, we are no longer the Editors-in-Chief (sad face), instead we have passed on this beautiful paper to our wonderful successors: Eva and Padget! We know you’ll miss us dearly:...

After falling short to St. Albans in the DCSAA finals last year, the Jackson-Reed Varsity Baseball team is looking to bring the DCSAA title back to Fort Reno.  So far, the team remains undefeated in...

As online sports betting apps grow in popularity across the country, they are not only gaining traction with adults but have also found a new market in teenagers.  Nationwide, according to Common Sense...

Red pilling is a term that stems from the Matrix; it refers to an “awakening” to a hidden truth and becoming enlightened to new viewpoints and a new reality. However, in the age of the internet, the...

At 2 p.m. on February 27, more than 300 students left Jackson-Reed and walked to the Lincoln Memorial to protest the nationwide abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They joined over 1,000...

The college and career platform Naviance recently unveiled a new tool for teachers—an AI helper that can draft a letter of recommendation for a student in seconds. With the tool, teachers select a...

January 20 marked one year of Trump’s second term. A year ago, The Beacon predicted what his policies would mean for the future of education. Now, the nation is reflecting on all that has changed and...

We’ve all heard it, whether through Jackson-Reed’s “Yale or jail” nickname or the subtle comments about our school being “a little dangerous”. Even though it’s often intended as a joke, it’s...

Last month, a mass shooter at Brown University killed two students and injured nine others. In the wake of the tragedy, students across the country are being forced to grapple with the everyday realities...

After the departure of boys’ basketball head coach David “Tee” Johnson for a college position, former assistant coach Bill Bourgouin has taken over for the 2025-26 season.  “Coach Bill” was...

The effects of the federal government's 43-day shutdown rippled through the JR community, which rallied to help those affected by the loss of food benefits and government paychecks. Many JR students have...

Starting at the end of October, students can now receive a replacement Yondr pouch if their school-provided pouch was lost, stolen, or damaged. After several months of delays getting the replacement pouches,...

Roughly 10 years ago, the Juul craze started to take over the teenage world, hitting Jackson-Reed (then Wilson) High School hard. Since then, vape products have evolved, as has usage at JR and for all...

This June, Jackson-Reed Alumni Sophie ReVeal was a member of the Emmy award winning team for her work on The Sixth, a documentary about the January 6th insurrection. The Sixth won for Outstanding Politics...

Several Jackson-Reed teachers are being forced to leave the United States and return to their home countries when their visas expire after DCPS ended a program to sponsor their green cards allowing them...

When Jackson-Reed football kicked off for their first home game of the 2025 season, something was off in the stands. Just hours before the game, DCPS and DCIAA released a new policy limiting spectators...

They are athletes, artists, scholars, musicians, engineers, and so much more. The class of 2025 has left its mark on Jackson-Reed and is ready to make their mark on the world. This class was a historic...

This year, graduation for Jackson-Reed’s class of 2025 coincides with a military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary and President Trump’s 79th birthday. Both events are scheduled to...

This year, College Board transitioned almost every AP exam to a digital format, with only foreign language exams remaining fully on paper. While most exams occurred without any issues, AP Psychology faced...

El equipo de los niños de ultimate frisbee de Jackson-Reed ocupa el primer lugar a nivel nacional y se ha clasificado para el High School National Invite (HSNI). Este torneo anual reúne a los 16 mejores...

As of March, over 50 private and public colleges have reinstated their SAT/ACT requirements for the 2025-26 admissions cycle, and it is anticipated that others may as well. While many Ivy League and...

The Jackson-Reed boys’ ultimate frisbee team is ranked first in the country and has qualified for the High School National Invite (HSNI). This annual tournament features the top 16 teams in the country...

On April 4, Jackson-Reed’s SGA hosted a spring fling dance in an attempt to establish a new school tradition and increase school spirit. “We know the year is long and difficult a lot of the time...

It’s officially term three, which means that it’s arguably the worst part of the school year. As the content in classes gets harder, AP tests get a little closer, and stress levels increase, I’m...

Jackson-Reed students and staff expressed worry and unease over President Donald Trump’s recent actions targeting school curricula and removing protections for transgender and undocumented students. In...

La segunda presidencia de Trump tendrá inmensas repercusiones en la educación pública en los Estados Unidos. Trump planea combatir la “ideología woke” en las escuelas censurando los planes de estudio,...

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...

While speech and debate is a frequent club choice taken by many students who love to argue, there is a lesser-known but just as good option down the hall: Model UN (or MUN for short). Based on how the...

This February, Dartmouth announced it would begin requiring SAT or ACT scores for the school year (SY) 24-25 admissions cycle. Dartmouth was the first of several colleges to announce that they would reinstate...

Jackson-Reed prides itself on its diversity, both in its student body and curriculum. However, there is a serious failure to showcase female voices in English classes. This is most apparent in the English...

20 years later, the Plastics are back. Tina Fey’s new Mean Girls movie, based on the Broadway adaptation of the OG movie, hit theaters on January 12, and while it in no way came close to topping the...

The college admissions process is biased and rigged. It favors wealthier students and leaves everyone else on the outside wondering how to get in. The lack of clarity on the admissions process, along with...

Even with a few weeks left in fall, there are still so many ways to make the best of the season before winter takes over and it’s officially the holiday season. In case you are a little behind and haven’t...

This school year, Principal Sah Brown has made a point of improving and increasing student participation in Jackson-Reed academies. Academies are a series of classes related to one academic area. The classes...

DCPS announced they will be redrawing boundaries that will determine the feeder pattern for students. The Redrawing Committee met for the first time on March 30 where members discussed their hopes for...

In an effort to combat overcrowding at Jackson-Reed, DCPS will open MacArthur Boulevard High School this fall in Northwest DC. MacArthur will be the new in-boundary school for all in the Hardy Middle School...

No matter the grade level, students are thinking about ways to complete those 100 community service hours. Families for Families (F4F) is a DC-based non-profit organization that has a chapter at Jackson-Reed....