Wayne M. Brasler

Notable work and positions

University of Chicago Laboratory Schools - Journalism teacher and publications adviser, The Midway and U-Highlights (1964-2014)

Biography

Wayne M. Brasler is an American journalism educator who spent 52 years, from 1964 to 2014, as journalism teacher and student publications adviser at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, guiding the school's newspaper, The Midway, and yearbook, U-Highlights. Born October 28, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, he attended Harris Teachers College before earning a BJ degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where he served as copy editor of the student newspaper, the Maneater; he later earned a master's degree in language arts at Northeastern Illinois University. Early in his career he worked at the Jewish Post and Opinion in St. Louis. His students at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools have gone on to work at outlets including The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and Vanity Fair, and include Pulitzer Prize winners. In 1996 the National Scholastic Press Association named an annual award, the Brasler Prize, in his honor, given for the most outstanding work published in a high school newspaper each year; he has also received the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund's National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year award, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association's Gold Key, the National Scholastic Press Association's Pioneer Award, and the University of Missouri School of Journalism's gold medal for his defense of student press rights. After retiring from the Laboratory Schools in 2014, Brasler continued working in journalism as reporter and editor of his hometown Normandy High School alumni newspaper.

Career highlights

• 52 years as journalism adviser 1964-2014 · Guided generations of student journalists at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
• The Brasler Prize 1996 · The National Scholastic Press Association named its award for outstanding high school newspaper work in his honor.
• University of Missouri School of Journalism Gold Medal · Honored for his advocacy of student press rights.