Manfull named 2011 Dow Jones Journalism Teacher of the Year

Kansas City, Mo. (Sept. 14, 2011) – Aaron Manfull, the yearbook, online media and newsmagazine adviser at Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles, Mo., has been named the 2011 National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year by the Dow Jones News Fund.

Manfull has been an adviser for 13 years since graduating from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., in 1998 with a master’s degree in education after earning his bachelor’s in communication there. He went to Francis Howell North after teaching and advising at Newton Senior High School in Newton, Iowa. Manfull is the digital media committee chair for the Journalism Education Association and webmaster of JEADigitalMedia.org.

Dow Jones recognized four special recognition and four distinguished advisers as part of this year’s awards.

The 2011 Distinguished Advisers are:

• Susan Colyer, Southside High School, Fort Smith, Ark.
• Erin Coggins, Sparkman High School, Harvest, Ala.
• Chris Waugaman, Prince George High School, Prince George, Va.,
• Stan Zoller, Rolling Meadows High School, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

The 2011 Special Recognition advisers are:

• Ryan McCallum, Buffalo High School, Buffalo, Minn.
• Scott Menscher, Edward R. Murrow High School, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Doreen Picozzi, Lincoln High School, Lincoln, R.I.
• Starr Sackstein, World Journalism Preparatory School, Flushing, N.Y.

Manfull will accept his award at the Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Minneapolis, Nov. 17-20, and will have the opportunity to attend a professional-level seminar at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla. Manfull will also be a paid columnist for the Dow Jones quarterly newsletter, Adviser Update.

The journalism program at Francis Howell North will receive a laptop computer, and a Francis Howell North student will receive a $1,000 college scholarship to pursue journalism studies. One student at each of the four Distinguished Advisers’ schools will receive $500 college scholarships.