Every day, students enter the Guidance Office to adjust their schedule, decompress with a counselor and plan for their next steps in life. The first friendly face they meet in the office is administrative assistant Chris Atchison.
Growing up with eight siblings on a farm in Flushing, Michigan, Atchison remembers a keen focus on family, faith and fun. Following high school, Atchison’s passion for exploring new places led her to break away from the farm and instead, travel.
Atchison began to travel before she was 18 years old. Memorable trips include visits to Europe, Hawaii and South America.
“I love to travel because I love to experience different cultures and see what is beyond where I live,” Atchison said.
Family remained a central focus, especially later in Atchison’s life. In 1999, applying on a whim for a secretarial job at Northview High School, Atchison wanted a position in which she could put her husband and four kids first.
“[My kids] were [my] priority and I just wanted to be home with them,” Atchison said.
Although caring for her family brings Atchison immense joy, it has not always been easy. In 2000, doctors diagnosed Atchison’s 10 year old son, Christopher, with a rare and fatal brain tumor. Over the course of the following year, Atchison focused on spending every possible second with him.
In 2001, Christopher passed away.
“When you lose a child, for me, I look at it like losing a part of my heart,” Atchison said. “So I’ll always have that hole in my heart.”
Inspired by the community’s support during that difficult time, Atchison gives back. Whether it is organizing the annual Blackout football game, supporting a nonprofit, or volunteering with her family, Atchison finds ways to help those around her.
“The best thing that came out of [Christopher’s death] was that we go on and any volunteering we do we call our ‘Christopher time,’” Atchison said.
As the advisor for the Northview chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS), Atchison shares this passion for serving with students.
“I thought [NHS] would be a great way to connect students with volunteering and service,” Atchison said.
