Bill Geist

Born in Nyack, William Geist has spent his entire life in The Hudson Valley region.\
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A graduate of Tappan Zee High School, Class of 1968, he attended SUNY Oswego majoring in Industrial Arts with minors in history and science.\
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Bill joined the teaching staff at Tappan Zee and has been a high school educator for 35 years, from 1973-2006 teaching Industrial Arts/Technology Education. He primarily taught Photography. For many years he was a freelance photographer for many local newspapers as well the Associated Press. Geist has a Masters in Art Education as well as Technology Education. Bill is the primary author of Black and White Photography Curriculum in Technology Education for the State of New York.\
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In 1992, Geist was asked to teach a course Principles of Engineering at Tappan Zee. Lacking a sufficient budget, Bill called upon his father, Jack Geist - himself an accomplished and locally known origamist - to provide books and resources in making paper gliders and other aerodynamic structures. The result was a multiple award winning curriculum centered on origami.\
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Upon retirement, Bill continued subbing for the school district and using origami as a motivational strategy for students\
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Because he is asked to teach origami to elementary school children and students who have never folded before, Geist is a proponent of a minimalist approach to folding. As many as 25 models have been design, none over 17 folds. His dinosaur was the first of the designs.\
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Bill is married for 30 years to his wife Roberta. They have two daughters and 4 grandchildren.