Kingwood Park senior Sydney Ortiz was selected to represent Texas at the prestigious Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference in Washington, D.C. from June 21-16, 2026. One high school junior from each state is selected from a pool of applicants for the engaging, in-depth five-day summer program.
Organizers select juniors who they feel best exemplify the program’s motto: “Dream. Dare. Do.” The selected students receive an all-expenses paid trip to D.C. and a $1,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice when the workshop ends.
During the event’s 25th anniversary, Ortiz met leading journalists and media professionals, including CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa. The participants also toured the Wall Street Journal’s Washington Bureau and NBC’s Washington affiliate, along with visiting various DC landmarks.
“It was the best experience of my life,” Ortiz said. “I’m so grateful to have been chosen as the Texas representative. I had so much fun learning to network and meeting peers from across the U.S.”
Ortiz, a three-time All-State journalist, is the editor-in-chief of the Kingwood Park Times newspaper. Earlier in June, she spent two weeks at The School of the New York Times studying political journalism after winning a free spot at the academy during the 2025 JEA/NSPA National Journalism Convention in Nashville, where she was named the NSPA Writer of the Year.
