Women of Note: Bonnie Davidson ensures Stockbridge teens and tweens have a place to thrive

by Mary Jo David

Ask someone if they know Bonnie Davidson, and the first thing you’ll hear back is likely something along the lines of “Oh, I know Bonnie; she’s so nice. And she does so much for the kids.” Nice is great, but it’s her work with the kids that makes Davidson such a standout in the Stockbridge community and has led to her being selected as one of this year’s Women of Note.

In her younger years, as a stay-at-home mom, Davidson jokes that she probably helped raise half the kids in Stockbridge. Over the years, besides her own children—Travis, Justin, Samantha, Myranda, and Will—she also had an in-home day care, ran a licensed day care, and then drove a bus for Stockbridge schools for 15 years. And it doesn’t end there. Currently, she works as a part-time paraprofessional at the Junior/Senior High School and as the Teen Center director at Crossroads Community Church in Stockbridge. She also volunteers as a student ministry leader at Crossroads.

Thinking back to her high school years, Davidson can recall that she always knew she’d do something that enabled her to work with teenagers.

“Working with teens was a passion for decades; I was driven toward that. So when I was approached in 2019 to organize the Stockbridge Teen Center, I considered it a blessing to be in a position where I could create a place for kids to go.”

The Stockbridge Teen Center is Davidson’s pride and joy. Since it opened in September 2019, hundreds of kids, grades six to 12, have passed through the center’s doors to participate in its after-school program, which runs from 2:30-5:30 on full days of school.

“Obviously teenagers are going to find something to do, good or bad. Our goal opening the Teen Center was to provide positive options.” Referring to the team that made the center a reality, she recalls, “We didn’t just talk about it. We did the work.”

The center offers plenty of distractions for teens, including TVs, Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PCs for Fortnight and Minecraft, board games, pingpong, foosball, a craft station, and more. Never one to rest on her laurels, Davidson is working on trying to get the resources to be able to enclose the basketball court so it’s available in good weather and bad. She also has 80-plus fifth graders signed up for an orientation so they’ll know what to expect next year when they are old enough to use the facility.

Davidson recalls that in her days as a parapro, she worked with some students who had behavioral issues. She talked a bit about the things she could do to make a difference with these kids, beginning with just listening and caring about them. She’d pull them into events at the school and attended events they participated in.

“Sometimes people think we need to always do the big things, but just remembering what kind of chips they like or texting them on their birthday lets these kids know we care. We can’t all do for one kid or for all kids, but if we can each help a few, that’s what drives me.”

A longtime Stockbridge resident, Davidson’s family moved here when she was 10 years old; she graduated from Stockbridge High School. Her parents, Ron and Dianna Miller, have been, and continue to be, big influences in her life. She says they’re the ones who instilled in her strong ethics, a commitment to her word and a passion for life.

Her husband, John, is her partner in all things, including their work as youth ministers at Crossroads. All of Davidson’s kids attended Stockbridge schools. Currently, except for her oldest who lives in Lansing, the remainder of her children and grandchildren—she has nine—live in Stockbridge, Munith, and Gregory where that next generation of her offspring is attending Stockbridge schools.

Davidson loved growing up in Stockbridge, still loves it, and loves that her children’s kids get to experience small-town living. As a child, she recalls riding bikes everywhere and everyone knowing everyone else.

“I grew up with such a sense of community as family,” Davidson recalled. “In the ’70s, when our sports teams went to championship games, the entire community rallied. There were team buses followed by spectator buses to attend the events. We all felt such a sense of togetherness.”

Her years in Stockbridge are still proving to be remarkable when it comes to community.

“Even now, our community just can’t come quick enough when I post a need for something on social media. They want to jump in right away and be a part of the positive things that are happening in the community. That makes my life wonderful.”

When it comes to the qualities she most admires in people, top on her list is commitment. She tries not to do anything halfway, and she really appreciates that quality in the people in her life. Recognizing that everyone has different talents to offer, she appreciates the compassion and nurturing that are evident in so many of the women who volunteer with her. At the same time, she’d be lost without the men who volunteer their time and skills, especially at the Teen Center where more boys than girls participate each week.

Davidson’s faith has, by far, been the most important factor in her life. She acknowledges her faith has given her stability, hope and endurance. For that we should all be thankful, because as a community, we all benefit from these qualities in Bonnie Davidson and the work she does with the youth in our community.

All photos provided by Bonnie Davidson.

A Stockbridge resident since childhood, Bonnie Davidson’s work with kids makes her a standout in the Stockbridge community.

Bonnie and John Davidson pictured with their nine grandchildren last Christmas.

The Stockbridge Teen Center is Davidson’s pride and joy. Since it opened in September 2019, hundreds of kids, grades six to 12, have passed through the center’s doors.

Davidson’s bus driving experience comes in handy for Teen Center outings.

One of Davidson’s goals is to get the resources to be able to enclose the basketball court so it’s available in good weather and bad.

As student ministry volunteers, Bonnie Davidson and her husband, John, participated in the Crossroads Community Church summer camp last year.

Crossroads Community Church’s student ministry members and volunteers pose for a photo at last winter’s Ice Camp.