Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A teacher at Oakboro Choice STEM School recently released a book.

Ashley Wilkinson, who has been at Oakboro since it reopened as a STEM school in 2017, has been with Stanly County Schools for 24 years. She has been an English/language arts and instruction technology teacher, but during the 2023-2024 year she was the digital learning and media innovation facilitator, teaching digital media to students from kindergarten to fifth grade. She also taught journalism as a middle school elective.

Her new book, “Ellie’s Dream,” is about a young girl who, according to the “about the book” intro, “wants to be like everyone else, but with a little guidance from her grandmother and that still small voice inside, maybe she will discover that it’s more important to be who she was created to be. After all, why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

“Ellie is a young girl who thinks everyone else has life figured out and she’s struggling to find her purpose,” Wilkinson added. “She seeks wisdom from her grandmother and listens to herself to discover what she was created for.”

Wilkinson said “Ellie’s Dream” has “a timely message living in a world obsessed with social media perfection.”

“We are unique individuals with our own gifts and talents which we can use to impact our world. It’s OK if our dreams are different. Others may not understand our dreams, but with a clear goal and hard work, we can achieve them,” Wilkinson said.

“On a more personal note, I have always encouraged my children to dream and set goals. Writing and publishing books has always been at the top of my list so I guess I’m setting the best example I can.”

“Ellie’s Dream” is available online in hardcover, softcover and eBook through WestBow Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers.

B.J. Drye is general manager/editor of The Stanly News & Press. Call 704-982-2123.