Dr. Don Vu has been an elementary school teacher and principal for 24 years. He is a former Vietnamese refugee and second language learner who understands the challenges of learning a new language and culture. He also knows that reading can be transformative and life-changing.
Don and his former staff chartered the Broncos Read campaign in 2013 to foster the love of reading in all students. In 2017, he received the Celebrate Literacy Award from the California Reading Association for his leadership in literacy. In 2018, his school was one of five schools nationally to receive the Exemplary Reading Program Award from the International Literacy Association (ILA). In 2020, the school received the California Distinguished School Award for its work in closing the opportunity gap for all kids.
Don’s new book Life, Literacy, and the Pursuit of Happiness will be coming out in April 2021. It is the first professional title to be dedicated to addressing a school’s reading culture with a focus on the needs of immigrant and refugee students and families. For more information, go to www.drdonvu.com or follow him on Twitter @drdonvu.
