Local Artist Inspires The Power Within

How Does News Of School Shootings Affect Students’ Mental Health?

By Andrey Nalbantov OCEAN COUNTY

- Nashville, TN. Denver, CO. East Lansing, MI. Chicago, IL. St. Louis, MI. Uvalde, Texas. What do all of those places have in common? There has been a school shooting in each.

From the start of the year, 19 school shooting-related incidents have occurred

The tragic reality is not just that school shootings happen, but it also impacts the mental health of every student, teacher, and staff member – even if they are indirectly affected.

While thankfully none of the schools here in Ocean County have yet found themselves on that list , students attending our schools also can feel as if they were directly in the crossfire

“We are seeing that our students in New Jersey are having reactions as if they are experiencing the shootings,” said Maureen Brogan, Traumatic Loss Coalition Program Manager at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.

Brogan used the

(School - See Page 5)

By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – All

They’re dominating the movie theaters, soaring into action to save the world. Kids look up in the sky to see the cape flap in the wind and a streak of color shoot past. But a local artist said that you don’t have to look at a screen or flip through a comic book to see bravery and strength.

“Your super power is your uniqueness,”

Mark B. Retacco said.

It belongs to everyone

(Artist - See Page 4)