Five takeaways from the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference

This issue was created in collaboration with Freedom Forum, which sponsored the post.

For 25 years, the nonpartisan nonprofit Freedom Forum has welcomed a group of high school juniors to Washington, D.C., for an in-depth, five-day summer journalism program.

The annual program, established to honor Freedom Forum and USA TODAY founder Al Neuharth, inspires 51 high schoolers (one from each state and D.C.) to embody the program’s motto of “Dream. Dare. Do.”

2024 Connecticut Free Spirit Michael Faherty, who is studying at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, says he’s a better journalist and citizen since his trip to D.C. — and high school juniors with a passion for journalism and multimedia storytelling could be, too, by applying online at freespiritjournalism.org.

The program is designed to inspire and encourage high school juniors to pursue careers in journalism, multimedia storytelling and the media industry by providing networking with journalists, thought leaders and digital entrepreneurs; behind-the-scenes tours of D.C. newsrooms; conference panels about topics like career pathways, media ethics and the future of journalism; and a $1,000 college scholarship.

Some Free Spirit Scholars have gone on to attend schools with leading journalism programs, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Maryland, Stanford University and, like Michael, Northwestern University.

Here are five things Faherty learned as a Free Spirit, including why First Amendment freedoms are crucial, the value of connecting with people who have varied perspectives and the impact of journalism.

“I was able to truly grasp the importance of protecting the First Amendment through in-depth instruction and real examples of how journalists today interact with it.

“In one session, we heard from Kevin Goldberg, First Amendment expert at Freedom Forum. Goldberg included real examples in history where the legality of an event and its potential protection under the First Amendment were debated.

“Not only did this make us better-informed journalists and citizens, but it also prepared us to learn more about who Al Neuharth was as a person and why he valued free speech and its nuances to such a high extent.”

“It was inspiring to meet a different person from every single state, as it showed me an array of diverse perspectives.

“All of us had something to learn from one another, as we had differing areas of journalistic expertise and personal backgrounds to share. Learning that, for some, it was their first time on the East Coast or even the continental United States, was eye-opening for me.

“There was so much lingo I didn’t know and food chains I had never tried. Most notably, as someone who was about to enter a position as editor-in-chief for my high school paper, it was very beneficial to learn about how everyone’s papers and journalism classes operated in their home states.

“I took pages and pages of notes, and I found that it allowed me to be a better editor-in-chief and make my editorial team as efficient as possible.”

“It was impactful to learn from and speak directly with journalism professionals who answered every question we had about the industry with full transparency.

“With the way panels at the conference were designed, ample time was provided for Q&As at the end. This allowed us to refine our skills and knowledge right before we entered the college application process and entered editorial positions as seniors in high school.

“One of our speakers was Carol Guzy, a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner. She showed us her truly impactful photography from her time in Ukraine in 2022.

“Her photojournalism moved me, and it was the call to action from her and other speakers regarding the importance of journalism now more than ever that motivated me to pursue it in college.”

“I still text the friends I made from the conference daily, even though most of us are at different colleges. That is a testament to the dozens of professional and personal relationships that this conference allows you to form.

“In fact, the delegates from Rhode Island, Ohio, New Hampshire, Utah and North Carolina flew to visit me and the New York delegate over Christmas break in December.

“When you’re learning about journalism and the First Amendment in an environment full of people who are also passionate about journalism and free speech, it is so easy to find friends. And not only are they friends, but also people you can count on to review your future work and read over your articles before you publish them.”

“All of the sightseeing around Washington, D.C., allowed us to have a refined perspective on American history and how the government operates today, from visiting the Lincoln Memorial to going inside the House chamber while it was in session.

“I had been to D.C. before as a child, but being with people my age who were also coming out of taking U.S. history class junior year allowed us to make connections between our curriculum and what we were seeing with our own eyes.

“Truthfully, there was no better way to spend an evening after a day of learning than embracing our nation’s capital and the warm June air.”

Applications are now open for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. Apply here by March 15, 2026.