DEADLINE: Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for High School Juniors

Freedom Forum's annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for high school juniors returns to the nation’s capital June 22-27, 2024.

Students selected for the program receive an all-expenses-paid trip and a $1,000 scholarship to the college of their choice.

High school juniors who will graduate in spring 2025 are encouraged to apply by April 1.

The program was established in 1999 to honor Al Neuharth, founder of The Freedom Forum and USA TODAY. The conference is designed to inspire and encourage students to pursue journalism. Today there are more than 1,400 “Free Spirits” including journalists working for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, ESPN and network-affiliated TV stations.

Free Spirits have been described as people who “dream, dare, do.” Those are words that conference participants demonstrate each day, and they are the program’s motto.