Literacy Champion Spotlight: Ashley Bak

Last year, KDL asked patrons to nominate individuals and organizations for KDL's Literacy Champion Award. The submissions were so inspiring! Let's learn more about one nominee.

For nearly a decade, Ashley Bak has helped shape young readers as an Eighth-Grade English Language Arts teacher at Vista Charter Academy. This year, she stepped into a new role as the school's English Language Learners (ELL) Coordinator, where she's expanding her impact by helping even more students discover the joy and power of reading.

Ashley is known for challenging students to do their best while creating a classroom where every learner feels seen and valued. She believes that books have the power to help students understand themselves and the world around them, and she's been a passionate advocate for providing access to diverse, meaningful literature.

One cause especially close to Ashley's heart is ensuring students have opportunities to read books that reflect a variety of voices and experiences. For years, she advocated for teaching novels such as The Hate U Give, believing that representation in literature helps students connect more deeply with what they read. When students see their own experiences reflected on the page, reading becomes more than an assignment — it becomes personal, relevant and empowering.

The results speak for themselves. Time and again, students who entered Ashley's classroom convinced they hated reading left as enthusiastic, lifelong readers. Her ability to connect students with the right books has transformed reluctant readers into confident ones, proving that the right story can change a life.

Today, as Vista Charter Academy's ELL Coordinator, Ashley continues to foster that same love of reading across the entire school. She partners with teachers to strengthen literacy instruction for English language learners and works directly with small groups of students to build their reading skills and confidence. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and students light up when she walks into the classroom because she makes reading engaging, accessible and fun.

Whether she's introducing students to a book that changes their perspective or helping them develop the skills to become stronger readers, Ashley Bak is making a lasting difference. Her dedication to literacy, inclusion and student success makes her a truly deserving Literacy Champion.