His door is always open for kids who feel alone

Published 12:01 am Monday, May 23, 2011

There are no forces more imposing than a tsunami, or a high school “in” crowd at lunch. Even the lower echelon, comprised of the yearbook staff and members of the drama club and debate team, can be daunting in the table pecking order.

For someone with few social skills, not having a place to

sit at lunch is humiliating.

That is why Lyn Geronimi leaves his classroom door open, so those who don’t fit in have a place to munch their tuna sandwiches.

“These kids feel like they don’t belong here,” Geronimi said. “They don’t fit in a lot of places.”

It’s his job to teach Independent Living and consumer math. Those he teaches, some who are in special education, struggle academically. They may graduate at age 18, may stay at Kamiak High School another year, or go on to a vocational school.

He just doesn’t want them sitting alone at home.

“I have always looked at teaching special-education students like coaching,” he said. “I look at where each student is starting and try to help them reach their potential and be successful.”

Raised in Southern California, he married his high school sweetheart, Cindy. They both came from close-knit families and have been married for 31 years.

He graduated from Carroll College in Montana.

“An offer to complete my education there on a basketball scholarship was too good an opportunity to pass up,” he said. “Due to an injury, I was not able to continue playing, but was able to coach the college team while completing my studies. I graduated in 1985 with a major in special education. I later earned my MA in Education from Grand Canyon University.”

In college he worked with Special Olympics, a turning point, he said.

“I could see these kids needed someone who cared and wanted to help,” Geronimi, 52, said. “I knew I could be that person.”

He worked in Montana with disabled adults at Helena Industries and coached in the Helena School District. They moved to Whidbey Island where he coached track and basketball.

“I came to Kamiak 13 years ago,” he said. “I developed and implemented a new class called ‘Independent Living’ for special ed students.”

Their son, Rob, was killed in a car accident in 2000 at age 18. They have a daughter, Susan, who is 28.

Educational Assistant Carol Evavold, who Geronimi described as his right arm, has worked with him for more than 10 years.

“Lyn is flexible and laid back,” she said. “It is important to Lyn that these kids feel accepted and he is their friend.”

Volunteer Judy Vang has connected Independent Living with many community organizations, Geronimi said. He said she is a great volunteer. Vang, who taught at Great Yarns in Everett, ties crafts with math lessons. When she taught scarf making, she showed how inches, yards, lengths and numbers all tied into the project.

How proud they all must be when success is obvious. They had two students accepted into a program at UCLA designed for kids with disabilities. It allows them to experience college life while learning life skills.

“Right here from little old Kamiak, we had two of the 16 nationwide in the program,” Geronimi said. “For me that was exciting.”

Another student, stumped by career choices, grabbed Geronimi’s idea about studying to be a jeweler’s apprentice.

“Years later, I was with my wife walking through the market, and I heard this voice yell ‘Mr. G’,” he said. “I realized it was this ‘lost’ student I had in class. He successfully completed the jeweler’s apprentice program and was working as a jeweler in Seattle.”

There are many students like him who make the effort worthwhile, Geronimi said.

“After our son’s accident, I wasn’t sure if I could continue teaching,” Geronimi said. “However I regained my focus and motivation after thinking about the fact that my students were a dream come true to their parents when they were born.”

Just as he had hopes and dreams for his children, so did other parents.

“I made a conscious decision to give my all to ‘make it happen’ for my students,” he said. “I want to offer them as many possibilities as I can for them to be successful.”

Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451; oharran@heraldnet.com.