Call us a nuisance after we corner you under the colossal DNA model for your speculations about the next concert. Circumnavigate us as we drift about the optimal angle for the football game’s photographs. Question if there’s an upcoming English essay as our incessant typing overpowers the rustling of trees during study hall.

Dragon Tales is omnipresent on campus, but it isn’t only manifested in the conscientious staff members you may pass by. Its influence pervades the experience at Cooper, intangibly yet indubitably intertwining the population with the established school life. Often outwardly inconspicuous, every voice recording or article is, in fact, part of the vital job of fostering an informed crowd that champions student citizenship and outspoken advocates.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton was not wrong when he coined the timeless adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Yet we must recognize that the mightiest of all is neither the pen nor the sword, but instead the hand capable of brandishing either. Although page nine of the Student Handbook prohibits weapons on campus, John Cooper nurtures individuals with hands that transform this pocket-sized object into a measureless force of our dynamic community. 

“Our school has always lacked a space for students to provide real-time commentary on events and changes in our community, as well as [a] place that allows for expression in all mediums,” explains Rebecca Melin, a senior and Editor-in-Chief of the Dragon Tales organization.

Easily accessible means of communication are imperative within a snug circle like Cooper. The ever-changing environment we share continually compels different individuals to personally and independently deliver new matters to the public. Although such a reality is nebulous to most, the absence of this necessity would raze the foundations upon which a robust society sits. “Through a healthy mix of articles written by dedicated staffers, submissions from the greater school community, and student engagement with our publication,” Melin resolves, “I truly believe Dragon Tales can fill that void.”

The liberty of the individual unfolds into a broader communal impact. Within the staggering extent of Cooper, our myriad community enclaves and facets of student life may only graze each other, relying on serendipity and enterprise that is challenging to induce. Like a magnet at the nucleus of the community, Dragon Tales facilitates their convergence. The delightfully protean nature of the school drives a constant stream of pressing events; meticulous journalism circulates comprehensive information on them, often in a style and viewpoint unique to the student writer. Felicity Sebastian of this organization and the Class of 2024 agrees it “is a fun way for us to stay updated on school events” and “learn about different perspectives.”

Gillian Crane, the Dean of Students, recognizes these contributions as well. “Dragon Tales allows readers insight to happenings around campus and appreciate different aspects of campus that they might not generally see,” she states.

One can nearly describe the distribution of narratives and ideas as a covert collaboration between the journalist and the surrounding people. Any act stems from a thought, the thought from knowledge and daring. Crane describes this process as “[encouraging] student participation by building excitement and school spirit.” Cognizance engenders a desire to partake in or add to the current state of affairs, and this stimulus can only grow exponentially. Inspiration arising from an article can proliferate as more individuals find and share points of engagement in the community, and Dragon Tales shall again document the differences these people make.

“I hope that Dragon Tales will grow to become the prevailing student voice for the John Cooper Upper School,” Melin reflects. The accommodation of indispensable words, the enhancement of mutual awareness, and the boosted initiative of each student prove the organization to be a vital aspect of our community. These factors ultimately tighten the Cooper social circle, providing the characteristic intimacy and charm that all of us value and enjoy.