Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]Elise Kechele is a new guidance counselor here at OHS. She joined the staff as an intern in 2013 and became an official Panther in August 2014. She has a passion for students and enjoys being able to help teenagers find a path for their future.
Kechele grew up in Holland, Michigan. She attended high school at West Ottawa High School, where the mascot was also a panther. After high school, she went to the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, MI, where she found an interest in psychology. She majored in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she began working in labs. From a young age, she has had an undying passion for helping people and interacting with them, so working on a computer all day didn’t seem to satisfy her. She said, “I used to work in a research lab where I didn’t have much human interaction on a day-to-day basis and was on a computer all day. I then started to search for a career that I’d enjoy and make me happy.”
This is where she found her passion--becoming a school counselor. Upon her acceptance into the University of North Carolina’s School of Education, she moved to North Carolina and began her masters degree in school counseling.
As Kechele was earning her degree, she applied for an internship. In August 2013, she spent a year interning at Orange High School. After enjoying her experience at OHS, she became a licensed guidance counselor and joined the Panther family. Since she has been at OHS, she has contributed a lot to the school. She implements Link Crew and Peer Counseling on top of maintaining her duties as a guidance counselor. Kechele has enjoyed every minute of her experience at OHS. She especially likes the students, teachers, and culture. When asked about her favorite part of the job, she said, “I love to get to know people and help them find their path in life!”
Outside of her role at OHS, she enjoys the outdoors. Her hobbies include hiking, backpacking, and camping. She also likes to read “sappy” novels and play the piano. In fact, she is teaching herself how to play the piano.
Kechele is a new face at Orange High School, but she hopes to get to know more students and help them find their paths for the future.
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