History of the News at Kennedy
Kennedy High School has had a total of ten news organizations and clubs throughout the years, from 1965 all the way to the present, a legacy of over 58 years. The News continued despite changing names and mediums without stopping with the exceptions of gaps in 2005-2008, and then again from 2017-2020. The news continues to serve the Kennedy Community to this day.
1965-1981, 1986-1994
The Torch was founded in 1965, as Kennedy's first news. Its namesake is a quote from President John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, “Let the word go forth, the torch has been passed to a new generation.”
The Torch started as a Bi-weekly newspaper in 1965. They won the All-American Award in Spring 1967. Their room, C 103, was dubbed 'The Torcher Room', later 'The Torcher Chamber' from 1968. A subsection called Quill and Scroll, part of a national initiative for journalists, ran from 1967 to 1969.
In 1968 it moved to being a triweekly paper. Film reels were made weekly from 1967 until the mid-1970s. They moved back to being a Bi-weekly paper in 1970 after winning a second All-American Award. In 1972, it became a higher-quality monthly publication. In 1975 it was considered the No. 1 Minnesota High School publication. In 1981, the group was given the ´Peacemaker Award´ by the American Newspaper Publishers Association. It was discontinued that year, and the Yearbook makers (Profilers) absorbed most remaining members. No reason for its discontinuation was ever given.
The Torch returned in 1986, but as a one-page monthly letter sent to parents. It continued monthly editions until its final end in 1994.
Editor-In-Cheif: Sally Schlosser 1965-1966, Susan Chapiewski 1966-1967, Kathy McMillan 1967-1968, Dave Johnson 1968-1969, Jay Richards 1969-1970, Brandon Becker 1970-1971, Pat Lundeen 1971-1972, Kathy Kusz 1972-1973, Tara Heinecke 1973-1974, Teresa Hopper 1974-1975, John Berk 1975-1976, Tom Larson 1976-1977, Jay Kirihara 1978-1979, Kip Bradley 1979-1980, Mark Beethe 1980-1981
Logo of The Torch 1965-1966
Logo of The Torch 1966-1973 (Note: Typo on date in used image)
Logo of The Torch 1973-1975
Logo of The Torch 1975-1977
Logo of The Torch from 1977-1978
Logo of The Torch from 1978-1981
Logo of The Torch from 1986-1994
A KTAV episode being filmed in 1973/4
A reconstruction of the KTAV News logo C. 1978
A reconstruction of the KTAV New logo C. 1980
1972 - 1986
KTAV News (Kennedy Television Audio Visual) began in 1972, with a film made about the upcoming 1972 Presidential Election. Their headquarters was the stage in the Cafeteria. They made weekly 40-minute shows that were played in the schools. In 1975, they began broadcasting over cable television.
By 1977, KATV was recording games, events, and news shows, and began to resemble a fuse between the Modern Eastside Edition and BEC-TV, the latter would eventually come to replace KTAV News in a fuse with Jefferson's WJAG News and Lincoln's WLIN News.
In 1982, KTAV broadcasted debates regarding the controversial closure of Lincoln High School, which was seen as a major factor that resulted in the decision to close it. In 1986 it was called the Audio Visual Club.
Director: John Parker 1972-1984, Don Specht 1984-1986
1984-2005
The Kennedy News Update produced weekly shows from 1984 until 1989, then again from 1999 until 2005. No episodes are known from 1990-1994. They would go on to produce daily shows between 1995 and 1999, and were filmed live from 1995-1999. The last episode aired on June 6th, 2005.
unfortunately, due to the technology available at the time, the daily new was taped over, again and again. This has resulted in most (or possible all) of the Kennedy Update's productions being lost.
A football game from December 8, 1995 as featured on the Kennedy Update.
1984-1985
Once Around the School began as a regular section of The Torch. After The Torch ended, the section was revived for a single school year, as is own paper.
1987-1988
Profiles Plus Started would become the second short-lived spin-off of The Torch. Like Once Around the School, Profiles Plus would only run for one school year. Profiles Plus was also an offshoot of the Kennedy Profilers, responsible for the yearbooks.
The Profiles Plus logos of 1987 and 1988, respectivly.
The Premier Issue of Aquila
April - June 1992
The Final Spin-off of The Torch, Aquila, would also be the shortest-lived. The Name is the Latin and Italian word for 'Eagle'. It ran for only one trimester.
1988-1999
Started in the fall of 1988 with weekly episodes. It would run parallel to Kennedy Update. The first known show aired on February 10th, 1989. The last show would air on March 30th, 1999.
Kenedy Impact logo from 2008-December 2011
(text is included in the only available high-resolution image of the logo)
Kennedy Impact logo as of 2011-2015
A logo shown for the Kennedy Impact in 2017
2008-2017
Kennedy Impact had a monthly news magazine and produced daily shows. Their first episode aired on May 17th, 2008. In 2010, they switched to weekly shows. They also stopped producing their shows live, but would resume in 2015. Kennedy Impact declined after it was made a class in the early 2010s. Many who were put into the class would be apathetic, and as the passion left, so did the quality and frequency of shows. Their last show would be on May 24th, 2017. By the end, the Kennedy Impact only had two members. A single last episode would be produced by an English class under the name 'Kennedy Eagle Report'.
The logo of the show underwent multiple changes. from 2008-2011, a 3d render of the words 'Kennedy Impact' was used. This was replaced in December of 2011 by an animated logo, with fire in the background lighting up 'Kennedy Impact'. After the logo's last known appearance in late 2015, the Kennedy Impact stopped using a consistent logo, however towards the very end of the show's run a retro-styled animated logo was used.
If you want to see any of the episodes of the Kennedy Impact, some of them are available to watch on BEC-TV's website. We have a partial archive of them here.
2020-present
Our Modern Eastside Edition was founded in January 2020. Originally pre-recorded videos, we now make live productions! The first episode of the Eastside Edition is from January 31st, 2020. At this time, a logo was used which had the School logo in the center, flanked on the bottom and top with the words 'The Eastside Edition'. Between March and December 2020, the show was off due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Even still, they would not be recorded in the school building's studio again until September 2021.
All shows were pre-recorded until September 2022, when the current format of live shows was adopted. This was also the time when the modern logo, featuring the JFK Eagle with the words 'EASTSIDE EDITION' circled around it was adopted. The show is currently on its sixth season.
The show usually has a single anchor, but occasionally has had two co-anchors. Most episodes have an interview or an informational video, and starting in 2023, a piece of featured student art. Once a trimester, the 'Eastside Squabble' gameshow airs, in which two teams or individuals would guess trivia.
Director: Malachi Martichuski 2020-2023, Jakob Miskell 2023-2024, Amos Keronche 2024-2025, Nia LeClair 2025-present
Producer: Marcus Jensen 2020-2023, Theodore Strommen-Campbell 2023-2024, Rose Alford 2023-2025, Hans Sonnenberg 2024-present, Nia LeClair 2025-present
Current Logo of the Eastside Edition (2022-present)
Former Logo of the Eastside Editon (2020-2022)
Logo of the Eastside Squabble, the once-a-trimester game show that began in 2022.
Sources include the BEC Archives, Original Documents, and School Yearbooks.
Note: Due to a focus away from clubs and focused on sports in the 1980s and 1990s yearbooks, Kennedy Update and Focus on JFK's club information is mostly lost.
