Yesenia Benavides Burgos, Gus Richardson and Isaac Sterling have made the most of their time as interns at The Sopris Sun. The former two, who graduated on Saturday from Roaring Fork High School, have been enrolled in the youth journalism program (or Youth News Bureau, as we like to call it) since their sophomore year. Sterling, graduating on June 7 from Colorado Rocky Mountain School, came on board at the end of his junior year. They each excelled in the trade and now prepare to utilize what they’ve learned in their future endeavors.
Benavides Burgos has a proclivity to investigate and report on what matters most to her and her community. While she’s covered a variety of topics, from a youth-directed skateboard company to the Buddy Program, she settled into reporting on immigration. Having the opportunity to interview local immigration attorneys, including one live on a local Spanish-language radio station, La Nueva Mix, she skillfully completed a relevant piece informing both English and Spanish readers about immigration laws and what to expect if detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
She and Richardson have been a steady presence on The Sopris Sun’s own weekly radio program on KDNK Community Access Radio, “Everything Under The Sun.” Benavides Burgos, who hardly ever misses a show, even learned to engineer the soundboard in the studio. She was the second recipient of The Sun’s youth journalism scholarship and plans to study political science at the University of Colorado before going on to law school with the intent to become an immigration lawyer.
Richardson has published more reports than any intern that’s come through The Sun’s Youth News Bureau. Readers are sure to miss his distinct and fun style, but, fortunately for us, that’s still a little ways off. After graduation, Richardson decided to join the professional freelance pool at The Sun, and will be tuning in for Monday editorial meetings. Notice the story on page 4 of this issue — he is recognized as a “Sopris Sun Correspondent” rather than a “Youth Correspondent.”
Richardson was the first recipient of The Sun’s youth journalism scholarship, which he applied toward attending Boston University’s 2024 Summer Journalism Academy. He was accepted to the University of Missouri and will be studying journalism. Go Mizzous!
Sterling stepped up to fill the big shoes of The Sun’s longtime sports photographer Sue Rollyson during the 2024-2025 season. He collaborated with veteran reporter John Stroud to deliver weekly sports updates, immersing himself in the role. His photos have made the cover on more than one occasion, including likely the paper’s first-ever coverage of the Winter X Games — fulfilling a lifelong dream of his.
This budding professional also plans to continue studying journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. Sterling has a gift of getting to the root of a story through photography and intends to continue that important work through college and as a career.
The Sopris Sun could not be more proud of these young reporters we have had the pleasure of guiding and working alongside. We look forward to following the trajectory of these Sopris Stars in the years to come.