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s i r S p t a o rs S A youth newspaper powered by The Sopris Sun
Volume 1, Number 8 | May 28 - June 24, 2026
Roaring Fork High School senior baseball player Donny Read was announced as the recipient of this year's Trent Goscha Memorial Scholarship. He is pictured here with his parents, Mandi and Mark Read, during the presentation on Saturday, May 9. Photo courtesy of Crista Barlow, RFHS Athletic Director
The abyss has ears
The Sopris Stars sees the sunset of the 2025/26 school year Our world often threatens to swallow us whole. Even in our small town, with just enough people to fill a single section in a stadium, the bustling around us is constant and consuming. Our phones demand our attention with relentless notifications and rumors littering our “for-you” pages. But tucked away in unit 26 at the Third Street Center is a space where the noise ceases for a while. Our news room here at the Sopris Stars is littered with the clicking of keyboards, the scratching of pens and the murmurs of the voices of writers, photographers, artists and editors. Here, we speak slowly, but with no lack of excitement. OPINION We pause for a moment and look at not just By Vivienne Shapiro what we see when we open Instagram, but the story behind that photo. Here we speak freely about anything and everything, from political hierarchy to the dating life of Sopris Stars alum Gus Richardson. And then, when we’ve run out of things to say, we take a step back and write it all down. We apply the ethics of journalism and trust in the power of information. The news room is, for me, like a bubble — overflowing with kindness, knowledge and intention. A place where it feels like what we have to say is important. My colleagues never cease to amaze. Anna Sophia Brown, Boettcher scholar and soon to be freshman at Colorado College, drives us to chase the hard-news stories. The controversial ones. Anna Sophia is not afraid of a punchy letter to the editor, but hasn’t received one yet due to the factual nature of her writing and insights from both sides of every argument. Giselle (Gigi) Rascon brings consistency with her effortless statement pieces, making us think a little longer before we get dressed in the morning. Her critiques are honest and her words bring light and dynamism to our paper. “At school, it’s like, okay, you have to write this and about this … here, it's just, like, speak,” she said, adding that our Wednesday meetings at The Sopris Sun office are “the best part of my week.” Hana Creyts, who’ll attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall and minor in journalism, has chased a variety of stories, and might be the only intern who turns stories in on time. “It was a little strange at first because I didn’t know how I would fit in here, but it's a very accepting environment and I love it here,” she said. “It’s a positive place where you get to learn a lot and write a lot about things you care about.” Kate Ott observes the world through a camera lens, but her perspective is nowhere near tunnel vision. Aside from giving us a glimpse into the culture at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, she arrives with snacks to share every week. Kate brings levity, which we’ve learned is important in this line of work, and delivers exceptional visuals time and time again. “I also got to expand into more writing, which I was definitely nervous about because I'm not the most eloquent writer out there. But I’m really glad I did,” she said. Kate wrote four pieces this past year and took countless photos, including partnering with professional reporters, such as The Sopris Sun’s John Stroud on sports coverage. Aurora Egan is compassionate and determined, her power of observation is essential. Aurora has a talent for maintaining artistic integrity while writing hard news. Her words flow from the page like she’s having a conversation with the reader. continued on page 3