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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

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor

When Riley was a young girl she wore her red adidas sports jacket, blue cuffed skinny jeans, and striped shirts. She smiled all day long and talked much to her friends, reporting the news of the day. Unfortunately she retired the jacket years ago, and she doesn’t wear stripes as much, but she does still report the news. As the Beacons very own News Editor, Riley is dedicated to writing articles about the name change and covid updates. 

All content by Riley Hawkinson

Breakup letter to DC

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor June 28, 2023

Dear DC,  I think we need to take a break. It’s not you, it's me.  I know, I know. The past 17 years we’ve had together have been the best years of my life. You’ve introduced me to my favorite...

SUPRISING ST.ANDREWS - Francesca and Becca pose in front of the St. Andrew’s Lion. The duo was shocked by the culture and amenities of the institution.

[Photo] Rival Reviews: St. Andrews

Francesca Purificato and Becca Green May 17, 2023

SUPRISING ST.ANDREWS - Francesca and Becca pose in front of the St. Andrew’s Lion. The duo was shocked by the culture and amenities of the institution.

Photo Courtesy of Eli Schwartz

Grievance halts formation of Christian athlete group

The complaint accuses the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of promoting anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs. The school’s chapter of FCA, which had not yet begun, is suspended for at least 30 days.   A Christian...

New principal, new plans

Hadley Carr and Riley Hawkinson October 5, 2022

As the new Jackson-Reed principal Sah Brown says he has three main objectives: build trust, ensure student safety, and uplift the academic environment.  “We're working hard to build a unified school,”...

Optional prayer offered for Jackson-Reed staff

Before doors opened for students on the first day, Jackson-Reed’s principal, Sah Brown, offered an optional prayer for staff led by Clarence Alston. “[I] offered an optional prayer gathering for...

Limited seats prevent juniors from taking the SAT

Liam de Luce and Riley Hawkinson May 26, 2022

The majority of the junior class sat in the gym, patiently awaiting to take the SAT. Just outside the doors behind them, an overwhelmed staff was tasked with relaying bad news to 35 students: they would...

DCPS partners with XQ Institute

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor March 30, 2022

The XQ Institute announced the launch of DC+XQ, a partnership with DCPS to “reimagine the high school experience”. Founded in 2015, the XQ Institute is an organization dedicated to rethinking the...

COVID resources introduced to mitigate pressure on staff

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor February 23, 2022

Amid the recent surge of the new COVID variant Omicron causing a rapid increase of COVID cases, DCPS issued a new mandate to alleviate pressure on school officials to manage the abundance of COVID resources...

Movie reviews: 'Last Night in Soho' and 'The French Dispatch'

Movie reviews: ‘Last Night in Soho’ and ‘The French Dispatch’

Riley Hawkinson and Samiyah Young December 17, 2021

The French Dispatch Review By Riley Hawkinson With distinguished visuals and a new creative lens, Wes Anderson's “The French Dispatch” is an attempted ode to journalism. Set in a 20th century...

Robert White is an ideal candidate for Mayor of DC

Robert White is an ideal candidate for Mayor of DC

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor December 17, 2021

Native Washingtonian Robert White announced that he will run for Mayor of DC. With a concrete understanding of what DC needs, White is a well-equipped candidate with nuanced policies, ready to execute...

Increased number of Required Curricular Tasks (RCTs) at Wilson

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor November 7, 2021

Within the last year, Wilson high school has seen the increased implementation of Required Curricular Tasks in the core content areas. As Wilson adjusts to the first year back since COVID with in-person...

Schedule change requests overwhelm counselors following system errors

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor October 3, 2021

Although schedule request changes have been closed for the past two weeks, students are still facing immense difficulty trying to get access to the classes they need.  Prior to the first day of school,...

RFK art installation commemorates lives lost to Covid-19

RFK art installation commemorates lives lost to Covid-19

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor December 18, 2020

Over 265,000 white flags are seen standing in the shadow of RFK stadium, each commemorating an individual death due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An excellent example of the phrase “pictures speak more than...

Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” leaves audience confused yet intrigued

Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” leaves audience confused yet intrigued

Riley Hawkinson, News Editor October 1, 2020

Christopher Nolan's latest cinematic production “Tenet”, a rare tentpole to hit selected American box offices during the midst of a pandemic on September 3rd, has a lot of thrill and bafflement to...

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