Katy Pickens: Reflecting on an amazing summer in Steamboat
Shelby Reardon/Steamboat Pilot & Today
Steamboat is a town unlike any other. Not just because of the gorgeous scenery, the incredible recreation or bustling wildlife.
But in my summer as an intern for the Steamboat Pilot & Today, I found what really makes Steamboat special — the people here care. Residents in Steamboat all have their own passion projects — from the arts to social justice, wildlife conservation, recreation and more.
It has been wonderful getting to know this community more deeply than I have in the past, and it has been a privilege to learn from each person I talked to or interviewed.
This summer, I was also blown away by this city’s engagement with the news. Folks in Steamboat take pride in their town and read the news every day. While this might not seem novel, it has become increasingly rare as local news is pushed to the wayside throughout the country.
Maintaining a free, full-color, daily print paper in 2022 is truly a feat — and it’s a testament to the people of Steamboat, as well as the staff on the Steamboat Pilot & Today who keep this paper going despite the many changes of the past few years.
I know as an aspiring reporter, I am likely biased about the importance of local news. But even so — local news should be the backbone of people’s media diets, particularly in a time where polarization and animosity permeate almost every corner of national conversation and coverage at the moment.
It has been incredible to learn from my colleagues this summer about the blood, sweat and tears required to keep the community informed. I have grown as a reporter and will always have a special love for Steamboat.
I just want to extend a huge thank you to all of the staff at the Pilot, the folks who I have met this summer and the readers of this newspaper. It’s been an amazing experience.
Katy Pickens is a student at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, who worked as a reporting intern for the Steamboat Pilot & Today this summer.
To reach Katy Pickens, call 970-871-4208 or email her at kpickens@SteamboatPilot.com
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