Kingsford Teacher Models Respect For Others, Aims To Donate Kidney

OSWEGO – Kingsford Park Elementary students were recently celebrated because they have shown respectfulness throughout the month of January, but it was a generous display of respect outside of the classroom that made kindergarten teacher Robin Tryon a school hero.

Tryon family.

In an unexpected twist to the school’s citizenship awards ceremony, Tryon’s kindergarten teammates organized a beautiful surprise.

They welcomed her family members to acknowledge her efforts to save the life of her step-brother, Mark Swisher, by actively pursuing the possibility of donating one of her kidneys to him.

The tribute included a video message from Swisher, flowers, hugs, tears of joy, a framed photo of Tryon and Swisher, and several kidney stickers with positive and inspiring messages KPS colleagues adhered to Tryon’s outfit.

“(My colleagues) are recognizing me as a hero, but anyone who has two healthy kidneys can donate,” she humbly said.

Since July, Tryon has undergone various tests, including a two-day event in Texas where Swisher resides and where the pending transplant would take place.

She said she will hear final word on Friday, Feb. 1, to determine if she may proceed with giving the gift of a continued, healthy life to her step-brother.

Tryon encouraged students to always show respect for others by completing acts of kindness and being good role models in school.

That may be an easy fete for KPS students in grades pre-kindergarten through six, as they closed out the citizenship awards ceremony by singing “A Million Dreams” from the major motion picture, “The Greatest Showman.”

With great enthusiasm, they sang the lyrics, “A million dreams is all its gonna take, a million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.”

A couple dozen students across all grade levels also received special recognition during the monthly ceremony.

Because the honorees exhibited respectfulness in January, classroom and special area teachers awarded certificates of recognition to the following students:

Emelyn Gates, Parker Belawske, Emery Shanly, Garrison Earl, Adalia Whiffen, Aiyva Schute, Mackenzie Gates, Giovani Casimiro, Maddox Browngardt, Chase Snyder, Sydney Rose, Onna O’Ryan, Janessa Coranado, Tori Deaver, Adam Gfeller, Addison Norfleet, Dylan Klefbeck, Connor Kelly, Kai Fronk, Lily Ann Mantor, Kevian Rodriguez Perez, Issac Jing, Justice Blake, Reese Tussey and Cadence Eriksson.

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