$1,000 college scholarships are available: Apply to the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference!

The annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference awards $1,000 college scholarships to rising high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism. 

Students will come to Washington, DC from July 14-19, 2012 to receive their awards and participate in an all-expenses-paid journalism conference at the Newseum. This program is funded by the Freedom Forum to honor Al Neuharth, the founder of USA TODAY, the Newseum and the Freedom Forum. 

Fifty-one (51) students, representing each of the 50 states and Washington, DC will be accepted to attend the conference.

The deadline to submit the online application is February 15, 2012. Applicants are strongly advised to print and read the reference guide prior to starting the application process.

Scholarships will be awarded to students who successfully complete the program and will be paid to the students' colleges and universities of choice in the fall of 2013.

High school juniors with a passion for journalism have until February 15, 2011 to apply for the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship and Journalism Conference. The conference will be held from July 9-14, 2011 at the Newseum in Washington, DC.

Eligibility is limited to students who are interested in journalism careers, who demonstrate qualities of “free spirit” and who are high school juniors during the 2010-2011 academic year. To apply online, please visit: http://www.freedomforum.org/freespirit/scholarship/application.aspx.

The Al Neuharth Free Spirit program will select, teach, mentor and support 51 outstanding high school students, representing each of the 50 states and Washington, DC. They will participate in an all-expenses-paid journalism training conference at the Freedom Forum’s Newseum, located on Pennsylvania Avenue between the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Those who successfully complete the five-day workshop will be awarded $1,000 scholarships that will be paid to each student's college or university of choice in the fall of 2012.

The conference and scholarships are designed to inspire and encourage students to pursue journalism, to network with one another and to develop lifelong associations. The conference, hosted by Al Neuharth, includes full access to the Newseum, interaction with media leaders and journalists, hands-on training, tours of Washington’s landmarks, plus fun and fellowship. The Free Spirit program began in 1999 and is funded by the Freedom Forum to honor Neuharth, the founder of the Freedom Forum, the Newseum and USA TODAY.