The annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference program awards $1,000 college scholarships to rising high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism and who demonstrate qualities of “free spirit.”

Students will come to Washington, D.C., July 13-18, 2013, to participate in an all-expenses-paid journalism conference at the Newseum, located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. This program began in 1999 and is funded by the Freedom Forum to honor Al Neuharth, the founder of USA TODAY, Newseum and the Freedom Forum. The scholarships and conference are designed to inspire and encourage students to pursue journalism.

Students who are high school juniors in the 2012-2013 academic year are eligible to apply. Fifty-one students, representing each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., will be accepted to attend the conference.
The deadline to submit an application to the conference program is February 15, 2013.

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 2014.