Northern Lehigh Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link and the school board recognized athletic director Bryan Geist recently for his years of service to the district.

“After more than 30 years of dedicated service to the Northern Lehigh School District, Bryan Geist is retiring, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in education and athletics,” Link said. “Throughout his career, Mr. Geist has demonstrated unwavering commitment, leadership, and passion, positively impacting students, athletes and the broader school community.”

Link noted that beginning as a math teacher, Gest spent 11 years teaching every math subject offered for grades 7-12, and that as the math department chair, the leadership resulted in a 30 percentile increase in student performance, setting a standard for academic excellence.

In addition to teaching, he said Geist played a pivotal role in extracurricular activities, serving as head track and field coach for 11 years, leading the team to championships in 1999 and 2004, as well as assistant football coach for six years, and that his dedication extended to student mentorship, including serving as the Class of 1998 adviser.

Link added that for the past 20 years, Geist “has been a driving force in athletics as the district’s athletic director.”

He said that under Geist’s leadership, Northern Lehigh’s athletic programs flourished, with major facility upgrades, including new turf fields, a renovated running track, gym improvements, and the addition of a 9-basket disc golf course.

Additionally, Geist spearheaded significant advancements, such as sports medicine contracts, the creation of an Athletic Honor Code, the establishment of the Hall of Fame (Ring of Honor), and the implementation of online ticketing and digital athletic management systems, and that his passion for enhancing the student-athlete experience also led to the addition of middle school programs for cross-country, track and field, softball and soccer.

“Beyond Northern Lehigh, Mr. Geist has been an influential figure in league and district athletics,” Link said.

He said as Colonial League president for 13 years and vice president for two, they guided the league through expansion and modernization efforts, including website redesigns and upgraded technology for track and field events, and added their leadership to District XI, where they served as president of the Athletic Director Association and contributed to championship events for over 15 years.

“A four-time Athletic Director of the Year, Mr. Geist has been instrumental in shaping the district’s athletic culture and fostering a sense of pride within the community,” Link said. “His dedication, vision and leadership have left an enduring impact on Northern Lehigh, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations.

“On behalf of the Board of Education and the Northern Lehigh School District, I extend our deepest gratitude to Bryan Geist for his outstanding service and wish him the very best in this next chapter of his life.”

But that wasn’t all for Geist, as Dr. Josh Hoyt, a 1996 graduate of the district, made a surprise appearance to speak of the impact Geist has had on his life.

Hoyt noted that both Geist, along with Hoyt’s cousin, former phys ed teacher, and current Northern Lehigh School Board Director Robert Kern, who is his cousin, have changed his life.

Hoyt, of Reading, is currently director of teaching and learning at Exeter Township School District, and said he remembers the lesson vividly when Geist was his calculus teacher his senior year.

Hoyt then held up a 3x5 index card about optimization calculus about how many blades of grass would be in the state if the entire state was covered in grass and you only got a 1-inch by 1-inch sample.

Hoyt said Geist inspired him to go to Kutztown to become a math teacher. “I went into teaching because I wanted to make somebody else feel the way Mr. Geist made me feel; I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life,” he said.

“He was the type of teacher that even if you didn’t understand calculus, he just wanted you to enjoy the experience in school and just understand the why. And he made everybody enjoy that class, and more importantly, he made everybody enjoy being a student in this school and a human being.”

Last month, the school board appointed Dr. MaryAnn Rush Wallace as director of athletics and student activities, at a salary of $95,000, effective July 1.

Geist will retire June 30.