There are plenty of words you can use to describe Jadon Frank. Hilarious, dedicated, and talented are some of the first that come to mind, but those who really know him know that it takes more than just a few words to capture his true personality. He’s an audio production extraordinaire who’s lent his talents across Enloe, a diligent worker who cares deeply about his craft, and a trusted friend to many.
Jadon rises above the crowds at Enloe – both literally and figuratively. Most of his time after school is spent with Enloe’s Tech Theatre department, roaming the catwalks above the auditorium, illuminating the stage and stars below. Working on every school production since Pippin, he quickly ascended the ranks to Light Crew Head. His lighting setups for both theater productions and non-theater productions like dance concerts have drawn immense praise. “He’s incredible at his job, with Les Mis and The Little Mermaid […] even when he’s just being a spotlight operator like in Pippen,” said fellow Tech Theatre member Aaron Ryzoff. His most recent work on Enloe’s production of Les Miserables received a DPAC Rising Star nomination (and should have received a win) for Best Lighting Design. Fortunately, the committee made up for their mistake and awarded Enloe the award for Best Musical instead.
However, Tech Theatre is just one of many outlets for Jadon’s dynamic storytelling. Anyone who’s hung around him for long enough can tell you about a time they heard a hilarious spiel from Jadon that ended with them rolling on the floor in laughter. Of course, they’ll never be able to tell it as well as Jadon, but that’s a tall task to stand up to. He has an uncanny ability to turn anything from an everyday encounter to Among Us fanfiction into the most riveting tale ever told. One way he’s translated this skill has been into podcasting: it’s not hard to find Jadon’s soothing voice emanating from the speakers of a class project. In his audio production class with Mr. Hedgepeth, Jadon has honed his skills to perfection, and even brought them to the Eagle’s Eye.
While Jadon’s newspaper articles are no small feat of their own, with an impressive range between “How to Take on Enloe Course Registration” and “The Instagram Accounts of Enloe: Ranked,” his biggest contributions to the Eagle’s Eye have come in the form of podcasting. At the end of his junior year, Jadon set out to revive Inside the Eye, the paper’s neglected podcast. It was a monumental task, but he was up to it. “He’s very determined,” said Jonah, “once he has something in his head that he has to do something, he does it.” With some help from Mr. Hedgepeth, Jadon breathed life into the series once more, quenching the Eagle’s Eye writers’ unending desire to yap.
Outside of class, Jadon has built a reputation as a calm, collected personality whose tranquility can quell an entire room. In a world of raging teenage anxieties and emotions, it’s a truly rare sight. “The confidence that he carries with him, the way that he’s so steadfast in his beliefs[…]it’s just really admirable,” said Elina. For as quick as he is to deliver jokes, Jadon is also unafraid to spread words of wisdom. Whether it’s the cure to a romantic query or tips on studying for a test, you’d be hard pressed to find a time where he’s led someone astray.
Of course, that’s not to say he can’t be silly. Jadon’s arsenal of jokes is seemingly never ending, with quips and longrunning bits that can brighten any mood. “I remember during Covid, we would get in Discord calls and he would read Among Us fanfiction to the group, which was really funny,” said Lazar Mendel. Oftentimes his comedic partner-in-crime is his cat Shadow, a creature that has inexplicably adopted the mannerisms of his owner to hilarious effect.
All in all, Jadon Frank is incredible, and the people around him know it. “Jadon’s one of the most reliable friends a gal could ask for,” says Navina Abbi. “He’ll know what you’re thinking before you say it. He’ll make you fall to the ground laughing. He’s empathetic. He gives a mean high five. He’s the best. I LOVE JADON FRANK!”
This August, Jadon will attend the University of Southern California, where he plans to major in journalism with a focus in radio/multimedia. If you haven’t had the chance to talk to him before, don’t waste another second. You’ll never find anyone else more genuine, funny, and thoughtful.
And to Jadon, we would wish you luck, but you probably won’t even need it. Just know that whatever you do and wherever you go, we’ll always support you. Jadon Frank, what a man you are.
