Though everyone thinks of New Year’s as the best time to look back on the past year and plan ahead for the future, February too offers the chance for reflection. At the beginning of the month, President Trump delivered his State of the Union Address, an annual event for the president to not only discuss the economy and the happenings of the past twelve months, but also for them to inform the public of general goals and priorities for the next year (speaking of politics, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about the primaries, which you can read about in this issue). February is also Black History Month, four weeks set aside in the United States to celebrate the achievements of African Americans. 

While important to address the history and current affairs of our country, this month is also a great time for personal reflection, now that we’ve dipped our toes into a new decade. It’s been a few weeks after most resolutions have been abandoned (though if you’re still diligent, kudos) but there’s plenty of time for self-improvement and fulfillment. So, in the spirit of both internal and external reflection, this issue of Dragon Tales highlights an important issue that affects our school community in the hopes of bringing further awareness to it.

Mental health is a huge problem facing our generation. The numbers don’t lie- across the nation, rates of anxiety and depression among teens are on the rise. Cooper is not immune. Fortunately, the community has taken steps to address the issue; Active Minds in particular has done a lot of work to erase stigma surrounding mental health. For those struggling, Cooper has plenty of resources, and students should feel welcome to talk to Ms. Donahoo for help. And for those who feel beat down by the regular stresses of daily life, there are plenty of ways to practice self-care. 

With all that said, I hope you enjoy this issue and take the chance to reflect on mental health in our school and how it affects both you personally and the community at large. 

Happy reading,

Paige Cromley