Steve Childs

Steve Childs is a relatively new member to the school board, joining in November 2021. He felt it would be a great way to give back to the Whatcom County area, where he’s lived his entire life.

“I want to support the community, the administration and the children,” Childs said. “I want to leave things better when I leave, compared to when I start -- that’s my main goal.”

Childs hopes to provide transparency with the community during his tenure on the school board, he said.

“I’m an open book,” he said. “I want to listen and learn and communicate and be as honest with as much moral integrity as I can demonstrate.”

Childs is a lifelong resident of Whatcom County and spent most of his life just a little east of Ferndale, in the Laurel area. His family has lived there for generations – when he graduated from Meridian High School in 1977, he was the third generation to
earn a diploma there. In fact, his grandfather served on the Meridian School Board in the 1930s and 40s, Childs said.

Childs has been married to his wife, Michelle Childs, for 32 years. They have three sons, who all graduated from Meridian High in the 2000s and 2010s, and three grandchildren.

Childs currently works as a mechanic at Boeing’s Everett facility. Before then, he was a maintenance planner at Intalco. His years of experience in these locations – from forming budgets to taking diversity courses and more – may help him as a board member, Childs said.

“I think I’m well-rounded and have a good sense of what I can apply as a school board director to help,” Childs said.

In his spare time, Steve and Michelle Childs love outdoor activities like camping, boating, hunting and fishing. They also love to travel, with their favorite destination being Palmer Lake in northeast Washington.