Dreams of Elijah Come to Life at 81st ECE

Author Travis Jerome Wilson brought inspiration, joy, and the power of storytelling to the classrooms of 81st Early Childhood Education (ECE) today. As part of the school’s end-of-year celebration, Wilson generously donated 20 copies of his children’s book, Dreams of Elijah, and personally read to two classrooms, reaching 20 young students.

Dreams of Elijah follows the journey of a bright African American 5th grader named Elijah, who leaves his public school to attend a new private school. Struggling to fit in, Elijah faces bullying and isolation but ultimately discovers strength, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. Through this powerful narrative, Wilson touches on themes of identity, courage, and belonging, topics deeply relevant to children navigating today's world.

Reading his work aloud to eager young minds was a transformative experience for Wilson.
“It was soul-moving,” he reflected. Seeing the love in their faces and eyes as they listened to me tell the story, it’s an indescribable feeling. I just want to go read to kids now. Nothing more, nothing less. Honestly, nothing else matters right now. No job, no nothing.”