Geehring receives full tuition scholarship to Cal U
Young Bailey Geehring sat in on her older brother Bradley’s speech therapy sessions, amazed. Eventually, Bailey would be carried out of the room by her mother. Years later, Geehring found herself job shadowing the speech pathologist at her brother’s old school, Clelian Heights, with the hopes of pursuing that same occupation.
“It was everything I wanted to see but couldn’t when I was little,” said Geehring. “And I’ve always wanted to work with kids with special needs.”
Inspired by her autistic brother Bradley Geehring, Bailey plans to attend California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U) to major in Communication Disorders on a full tuition scholarship.
Geehring was awarded the California University Scholarship of Excellence for having an “excellent” GPA of 4.042. The scholarship is awarded to “exceptionally talented students who have excelled in academic achievement and outstanding citizenship.”
Cal U distributes five California University Scholarship of Excellence full tuition scholarships each year. And the Geehring family was ecstatic to find out that Bailey is one of those recipients this year.
“I’m both relieved and excited for Bailey, but above all,” said mother Amy Geehring, “proud.”
Geehring’s lifetime dream of working with special needs kids as a 
profession is going to come true at . This dream started with her brother and seeing first hand what it is like for someone to be unable to communicate what they want.
“I know that they have something they want to say but just can’t find the words,” Geehring explained this struggle. “I want to help them be able to express themselves.”
Bailey not only understands the frustration of individuals with communication disorders, but also the struggle of having a loved one who wrestles to communicate their needs. This first hand experience is something that Geehring and her mother believe will only enhance her ability to be a successful speech pathologist.
“Bailey has seen her brother’s struggles and his accomplishments,” said Mrs. Geehring. “She has definitely seen the ‘bad things’ that people usually avoid talking about when it comes to living with someone with autism.”
When Bailey was 6, she witnessed Bradley’s first seizure. As a young girl, Geehring didn’t know what a seizure was and was shocked to walk out of the bathroom to see her brother on the floor shaking. She screamed so loud that her parents, who were outside, came rushing inside. Geehring said she vividly remembers the event from seeing strictly the whites of Bradley’s eyes to watching him be carried into the ambulance on a stretcher.
“I’ll admit that I’ve wondered what it would be like if Bradley wasn’t autistic,” said Geehring.
If Bradley were any different, Bailey’s future would look different.
While it was her hard work and dedication in school that earned Geehring a full tuition scholarship to Cal U, it was her brother who inspired her to pursue a career in speech pathology at the university.
“But I wouldn’t change anything. I wouldn’t want Bradley to be any different,” Geehring said.
Keera Frye
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Your article is well done. I appreciate your writing and spot lighting Bailey and Bradley. They are both special people and the world is a better place with the two of them. May your senior year continue to be filled sharing special stories that encourage and inspire. Kimberly King
Congratulations Bailey! Great article!