Ayemazing
Ashlee held space for joy and authenticity in her every interaction with staff and students alike. Her thriving inner child allowed her to form lasting bonds with her students, who looked up to her as both a mentor and an equal. Her playfulness rivaled the kids themselves, and she formed deep joyful connections with the families and the siblings of the KidsArts students. Ashlee lives on in the lives she touched and the impact she left on our community. She taught by example, finding joy in the little things, cultivating empathy, and being constantly, unapologetically, herself.
“I miss Ashlee. When I was going to leave she would always say ‘don’t go!’ I can’t think of anyone who made me feel more welcomed to KidsArts. She was one of the nicest people I have ever met in my entire lifetime. ”
“She made such a big difference in my life because she had ADHD too and helped me”
Kids Interviewing Ashlee about Paper Free Week
“She was always really funny, even when kids are being unreasonable she would find a way to make a joke and get them to class. I always hoped it would be her [who would be there when I arrived at KidsArts] because she was very happy”
“She’s probably the best teacher at KidsArts because like everytime we ask her a question she like sings it. Like she’s like, if we ask her like, ‘Ashlee, goo-‘, if she’s like ‘Good morning’, if we’re like ‘Good morning’ to her, she’s like ‘Good MorNING!’”
From Maddie Rooney
Ashlee and Mariana
“Is there any way for us to share with Ashlee’s family what she meant to us and our children? Ashlee was one of Ezra’s favorite teachers - she was warm, welcoming, funny, kind and so generous to him. He delighted in her Pokemon classes, the Pokemon t-shirts she wore and just her all around energy - as did I.”
Ashlee’s clipboard showing off her artistic style
“She wouldn’t care if she had to be out in the rain when she was checking kids in. Sometimes if I was there late she’d say ‘no, you have to stay here with us!’ when my parents came at pick up. She always wore her hat backward or sideways, that she always let kids play with. She liked just being with kids and the kids liked being with her.”
A picture of a tree in honor of Ashlee by Tony
“She had a spirit of perseverance. She always came with a smile. She was bright and smiling.”
Lots of folks will remember Ashlee for sharing her love of Pokemon with KidsArts kids. I was always amazed by the way she used Pokemon as a tool to unlock kid’s creativity, help them form new friendships, and build connections throughout our community. I wrote this song as a tribute to her and her impact on all of us.
- Matt
“Even if she had a bad day, she’d make sure we didn’t have a bad day.”
Ashlee and her costume making class
“The amazing thing about talking to other parents is how similar our stories are about Ashlee. That she seemed to have a special connection with our child. That she had greetings or rituals specific to our kid. That she seemed to understand, relate and normalize the struggles that our kid was dealing with.
Aside from the wonderful gifts she brought to our children and our families, it was also gratifying to see her blossom and grow during her time at KidsArts and that is a real testament to the community that you all have built. I saw her confidence and leadership develop over the years and it seemed like she had found a lot of unconditional support and acceptance at KidsArts. It’s not surprising since that’s what you all do for the kids but it was pretty amazing to see it happen with her too. It seemed she had found her place and I had no doubt that was going to let her find even more places and people who appreciated her as a result.
I hope her family knows how big of a hole she’s left in our community. When we do eventually get to come back together in person, I’m going to be so sad not to hear her boom in greeting ‘HUGH are you here to pick up!?’ ”
Ashlee, Scott, Lara, and Tim during :50 Shift
“We are humbled and saddened by our collective loss. In a moment of levity, Aaron mentioned that Ashlee was a not just a teacher, she was ‘a teacher of everything’”
“One day when Dean got off at the KidsArts stop (he wasn’t even going to KidsArts that day), Ashlee called me because he was upset, and lent Dean her phone so he could talk to me. Something scary had happened to him on the school bus. The fact that he could call me thanks to Ashlee was tremendous. I remember her saying “he’s my guy” and I think she reached out the day after that to make sure he was feeling better. I will always remember Ashlee’s kindness.”
Ronan showing off his the work he made in Ashlee’s Gotta Draw ‘Em All Class
“She was never in a rush, there was something so comforting about that.”
