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Royal Oak High School Journalist Earns Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship

Senior Dan Dobras earns scholarship designed to assist students in pursuit of a journalism career.

senior Dan Dobras has earned the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship for his efforts as a student journalist.

One student from each state was chosen to receive this national award and received a $1,000 scholarship. Dan joined other student journalists representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia last year for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship and Journalism Conference.  In the fall, he will begin studies at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, where he plans to major in business and communications.

The Free Spirit program began in 1999 and is funded by the Freedom Forum to honor Al Neuharth, the founder of USA TODAY.  The scholarships and conference are designed to assist students in pursuit of a journalism career and to inspire them through conference sessions with prominent media professionals.

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“Dan is an exemplary reporter with an innate sense of curiosity about the world,” said Acorn teacher adviser Ann Maudlin. “As editor in chief, he extends himself beyond established expectations, and ultimately helps to improve the quality of our overall publication. We are incredibly fortunate to have him in our midst.”

The Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship and Journalism Conference program annually awards college scholarships to high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism and who demonstrate qualities of a “free spirit.”

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The students come to Washington, D.C. during their junior year to receive their awards and participate in a journalism conference at the Newseum, which culminates with attendance at the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Award ceremony. Al Neuharth characterizes the essence of free spirit in this way: “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.

“Anyone who knows Dan well knows that as he shifts roles from student to leader to mentor to friend, it is the soundness of his integrity and his innate sense of joy about living life fully that make those transitions at once seamless and authentic,” said Maudlin. “His experience at the Free Spirit Conference was very helpful to him this year in his role as editor in chief. I have no doubt that he’ll be a successful leader in his future endeavors.”

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