MIDDLEBORO — Ashley Ferrini has dressed as the Grinch and thrown a pie at a principal.

She has also advocated for the needs of every student in the state, fighting for healthier school lunches and the rights of all youngsters.

This range of experiences, from the light-hearted to the substantial, has been developed through her involvement with the Parent-Teacher Association.

Her enthusiasm and drive as a member of the Goode School PTA has earned her a position at the state level. 

She serves as secretary of the state PTA. In that position, she was able to encourage the state convention to be held at Burt Wood School for the Performing Arts in Middleboro on April 1. 

At the convention, she received the Carol Woodbury Award, which is presented to a PTA member who displays inspiring leadership, according to the award description.

Although, Ferrini said, it took a moment for the honor to sink in.

When officials read her name, “I said, Whoa, that’s me.’ ’’

She was touched by the nominations she received that led to the award. “When I heard about what they said …. I was in awe.’’

Ferrini has been involved with Middleboro PTA for eight years. Earning a state leadership role and subsequent honor began with her desire to maximize her time with her children and the impact she could have on their lives, she said.

Time, she knew, passes in a blink. By helping with school activities, she could spend even more time with her children, a seventh grader and kindergartner. “I wanted to be part of those memories,’’ she said.

She has held a variety of positions within Middleboro schools and has overseen a range of activities, including the recent Touch A Truck event at Goode School May 6. As the Goode School PTA vice president, she worked closely with president Stephanie Hewins. The two make a “dynamic duo,’’ she said. 

“I dream big,’’ she said with a laugh. “She has to ground me and bring me back down to earth.’’

Touch A Truck, which allowed children to climb on and explore varied vehicles, drew hundreds of families. 

“I love the rush of the big events,’’ she said. By the end of the day, she was tired, hungry — and thrilled.

“To see the success and think about where the money’s going and what the kids are getting next, that’s such a wonderful feeling,’’ she said.

Her involvement with PTA runs deep, particularly when events such as Touch A Truck are in the planning stages. During that time, she will “eat, sleep, dream PTA events til it’s over.’’

But that level of commitment is not required to be involved in PTA. Some parents shy away, she suspects, because they work full-time or have otherwise full schedules and doubt they can make a difference.

“They think they have to have all this time,’’ she said.

But they don’t, she said. 

“PTA is an hour or 100 hours,’’ she said. 

“The delegating is so important,’’ she said. “Everything has something they bring to the table.’’ Something as simple as helping with a book fair makes a difference, she said.

“It’s what you make it,’’ she said. 

Another misconception, she said, is that PTA members spend the bulk of their time baking cookies.

Instead, they advocate — for students, for teachers, for the education community as a whole.

On the local level, the PTA spent much of the February vacation upgrading the teachers’ break room at Goode School. They cleaned it up, knocked out and replaced cabinets and added granite countertops, all with community donations of labor and supplies. 

The last few years have been especially challenging for teachers, she said, and the group wanted to do something to brighten their days.

When teachers returned from vacation, they were surprised by their new and improved break area, she said. “The reaction from staff and teachers was amazing,’’ she said.

Support for their programs, including the break room upgrade and Touch A Truck, has been received from a variety of community businesses, she said, including LMM Asphalt. Waterman Roofing, RYCO, Michael Holick of Wood Palace & Skyline and All Cleaned Up landscaping.

On the state level, the PTA supports a variety of issues, including advocacy for the rights of LQBTQ students and gun control. 

Some issues hit closer to home. On the state level, the PTA is working to develop a “better lunch program,’’ with more fresh fruit and fiber on the menu. 

No matter what her day brings, an underlying principle motivates her work with the PTA.

“I don’t want any kid left behind,’’ she said. Even at the Touch A Truck activity, she ensured that a portion of the event was designated for children who might be especially sensitive to loud noises. “I focus on making sure that everything is accessible.’’

All the work serves as a way of paying it forward. 

“We’re raising the next generation,’’ she said.