On Nov. 22, it will have been fifty-years since the assassination of the 35th President, John F. Kennedy. And with a never-ending presence in American popular culture, JFK has become a common-household name, a symbol of American royalty to have graced the halls of the White House. With America’s growing fascination over the inticing and mysterious life of JFK, and his tragic death, there has been a recent resurgence of all things “Kennedy”.

    As the story of JFK is told time and time again, including his being the first Catholic President and and a former member of the United States Navy, so is the notion that changing generations view JFK as a model president, despite his short time in office.

  “Kennedy was a symbol of American power to the international community. He definitely knew how to win over the public with a smile and a speech,” said senior Dilcia Renderos.

  With growing modern media portraying the President and his loved ones in varying lights, there is an essence of a “Kennedy” effect on the horizon. Recent documentaries, such as National Geographic’s “Killing Kennedy” are stealing the silver screen with millions of views and thousands of Tweets.

  “He was highly idealistic. He instilled a sense of hope and celebrity to the position of president,” said Social Studies teacher Jennifer High.

  However, JFK’s assassination and the life he lived were never open and shut cases. Allegations of extramarital affairs, including liaisons with Marilyn Monroe, surfaced, scratching the “perfect” Kennedy image. And with conspiracy theories from every angle, very few Americans know what to believe when it comes to the truth of JFK’s death. Theories range from the possibility of multiple shooters, to a vengeful mafia hit, and even the notion that Lee Harvey Oswald, the assumed murderer of the President, was framed and completely innocent.

  “I’m not sure what exactly happened but it’s not what the history books say,” said Renderos.

  With a shift toward the dark and mysterious private lives of the Kennedys, High believes a focus should be kept on his accomplishments as opposed to his demise.

  “Discussions on JFK should be based more on his presidency and less on his celebrity status in today’s media.”

  The 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination will come and go, yet the legacy that the man himself left behind will remain an intrical part of this country. Movies and documentaries will continue to be made, more conspiracy theories will surface, and an excess of books will be published; however, the American public will continue its fascination with the “Camelot” era. To them, JFK is more a staple of lost glamour attached to the politics of the world.

  “History is resurfacing. Kennedy is a piece of us. Americans detaching JFK from what this country has become is unlikely,” said Renderos.