The Newseum Institute in Washington, D.C. awarded West Side Story (WSS) staffer, Isabelle Robles ’17, as Iowa’s winner in the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for 2016. The  program targets rising high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism and who demonstrate qualities of a “free spirit.” The Institute honors 51 students in the country–one from each state plus Washington, D.C.–with a scholarship and all-expenses-paid journalism conference held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The Newseum Institute funds the conference to honor Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today, to promote the vital role of the First Amendment as a cornerstone of democracy and to inspire and encourage students to pursue journalism.

Robles is currently the entertainment and copy co-editor for the WSS print and online publications. In addition to attending this summer’s Free Spirit Journalism Conference, Robles will also travel to Washington, D.C. to serve on the Alumni Youth Advisory Board for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference this summer.

For more information on previous WSS awards, click here.