A familiar face from the North Buncombe District recently returned to the community, this time with a story to share with students at Weaverville Primary School.

Eliette Olivia Crenshaw, a North Buncombe graduate, visited the school to read her children’s book, “Estey Grey Plays Her Own Way,” to students. The book follows Estey Grey, a young girl with a limb difference who discovers her own way to play the trombone.

For Crenshaw, the story is about much more than a child with a disability.

“I wanted Estey Grey to be seen for everything she loves and everything she can do,” Crenshaw said.

Crenshaw was born with a limb difference and drew from her own experiences while creating the character of Estey Grey. Rather than making the character’s limb difference the focus of the story, Crenshaw wanted young readers to see Estey as a whole person, with interests, talents, and dreams of her own.

The book also has a special family connection. Crenshaw’s younger sibling helped illustrate the story, bringing it to life through the artwork.

During her visit to Weaverville Primary, Crenshaw gave students a chance to see that message in action. Along with reading her book, she showed students her 3D-printed prosthetic hand and talked with them about the different ways people can approach challenges and find what works for them.

Crenshaw is a graduate of North Carolina State University and currently works with the Helping Hands Project, an organization that provides prosthetic and assistive solutions to people with limb differences. She plans to attend physician assistant school as she continues pursuing a career centered on helping others.

For the students at Weaverville Primary, her visit offered a chance to meet an author who grew up in their community and to see how a personal experience can become a story that encourages others.

For Crenshaw, sharing Estey Grey’s story with young students was an opportunity to encourage them to embrace what makes them different.

The message of “Estey Grey Plays Her Own Way” is simple: Everyone has something that makes them unique, and there is no single way to do things.

And sometimes, finding your own way is exactly what makes your story special.

Thank you to Limb Love Library for purchasing a copy of “Estey Grey Plays Her Own Way” for each classroom at WPS!