Tupelo High School senior Caiti Ellis has been in yearbook for three years and was asked by adviser Shari Chumley to apply for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference.  The ANFSJC is a program that focuses on students who have an interest in becoming journalists to get a glance of how journalism really works.  

The program includes an all-expenses-paid journalism conference at the Newseum. It began in 1999 and was started by Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today.  

The program chooses one representative from each of the 50 states and one from Washington D.C. every year.  

“I filled out the application online, it was the typical application process: GPA, electives, etc.,” Ellis said. “I had to write two essays and send up some pieces of my work, so I also sent in three of my spreads from the yearbook. Basically we stayed at this really nice hotel in downtown DC, we could  literally walk to the national mall.“

Ellis said she really enjoyed this trip, through which she met 50 other people who had the same interest as she does. They went to the Newseum where Ellis performed a speech in front of all the members of the conference. They had five-star meals prepared by Wolfgang Amadeo, and they also stayed at a fancy hotel. Ellis befriended Haleigh Bourque, the representative from Louisiana. Ellis said they text each other daily, and through this experience they both bonded closer from mere acquaintances to being the best of friends.

“Free press, free speech and free spirit,” Neuharth has said. “The first two are easy to grasp. Free Press: The freedom to print or broadcast without censorship. Free Speech: The freedom to speak without compromise. Free Spirit is harder to define. Free spirits dream, dare and do. A free spirit can also be a risk-taker, a visionary, an innovative leader, an entrepreneur or a courageous achiever who accomplishes great things beyond his or her normal circumstances. The Freedom Forum is committed to nurturing freedom across the USA. We hope the information on this website will inspire you to join in our mission to promote free press, free speech and free spirit for all people.”

Neuharth managed the conference until his death in 2013; the conference is now run by his family.