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Lisa Goldner
By Marcia Kelly
Sometimes, a ring is more than a piece of jewelry. Sometimes, you come across one that is the keeper of a story, the symbol of a journey brought full circle, and the promise of a bright future.
Such is the case with the ring that rests on the hand of its designer, Lisa Goldner. At 19, the young woman has demonstrated more than artistic talent. She has shown how courage, support, and perseverance can lead the way through difficult times. Her story, and that of the ring, are intertwined.
The Story Begins
"When Lisa was in kindergarten, her teacher nicknamed her ‘Miss Giggles,’" says Kathy Goldner, Lisa’s mom. "Lisa had that special gift of caring about others around her."
By sixth grade, she was still a bubbly child, but school was becoming difficult for her. "I had a lot of trouble with reading comprehension, keeping up with assignments, and paying attention in school," Lisa says. Though it was not yet diagnosed, Lisa had attention deficit disorder (ADD).
Lisa remembered that her parents tried to find help for her in school.
"They kept…having meetings with the school, but everyone kept telling me I didn’t meet the requirements for special education." She eventually received some accommodations for her ADD and asthma under the Americans with Disabilities Act Section 504 plan, but it was not enough to meet her needs.
"After I went through three years of middle school and one year of high school without the help I needed, it was becoming too hard, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. I’d sit in the bathroom and cry," Lisa says. "I was a straight F student. I felt hopeless and just extremely lost."
In 10th grade, the situation hit rock bottom. Lisa was failing in school and sinking deeper into depression. School administrators were concerned but felt the 504 plan was sufficient. Her parents discovered that their daughter was cutting herself and covering it up under a veil of baggy clothes. The happy child she had been was gone. "That person had disappeared," Kathy says.
Kathy called PACER Center. She had consulted with an advocate months earlier, seeking information about her rights to request special education testing for Lisa. After working with Kathy over the phone for a few months, the advocate attended a meeting at school with the family. "Just her presence put the tone of the meeting into an action mode," Kathy says, noting that the school then agreed to provide special education services for Lisa. "Without PACER’s involvement, I don’t think we would have had that turning point," Kathy adds.
Another turning point came a short while later, when Lisa was hospitalized for depression. "We found out she had been a victim of violence on a cruise we had taken when she was 13. She kept it from us for several years," said Kathy.
A Journey Comes Full Circle
It was a bleak time. For Lisa, it seemed even bleaker when her case manager at the hospital didn’t want her to return to her school. "They were trying to send me to a different high school," she says.
"I went kicking and screaming," Lisa says. She pauses, then adds with a smile, "and I loved it there every day." The transformation was dramatic.
"I had a real connection with the teachers. The students were fun. The staff did so much for every student. It was incredible," Lisa says. With a very low student-teacher ratio, she finally began to receive the attention and services she needed to succeed. The social workers, chemical dependency counselors, case managers, and teachers, all trained in special education, worked as a team to help students with a range of issues. "Everyone had time for you," Lisa says.
"They helped me focus on school work," she adds. "From the time I started there, I earned straight As, every class, every year. I graduated on May 25, 2005," she says with well-earned pride.
The Promising Future
The only problem was the lack of a school ring. Her school, being quite small, didn’t have one—and Lisa wanted a reminder of this special place. The solution, Lisa decided, was to design her own class ring. She selected a mold, ordered a gemstone from Thailand, and flanked it with six small stones.
With the special ring, "she’ll carry the support of the school with her for the rest of her life," Kathy says.
The ring is a symbol of coming full circle, from happy girl to happy young woman.
"Lisa is such a success story," Kathy says. "She’s a role model. She was nurturing other students at school. That person I was describing in kindergarten came back."
For anyone who might be facing similar challenges, Kathy offers encouragement and support. "Listen to yourself and your heart. If you think there’s an issue or problem, exhaust all avenues. Use the resources that are out there, like PACER Center. Ask for help. It’s tough to ask, but in the long run it strengthens you."
The future looks bright. Currently working in a pet supply store, Lisa hopes to go to college and study youth counseling. It’s a new beginning that already has happiness, friends, success, and optimism—and that has a nice ring to it.
Visit PACER's other sites: National Parent Center Network (ALLIANCE) | Kids Against Bullying | Project C3 | FAPE Project | Minnesota SEACs
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