Patty Ryther, patrol advisor at Huber Ridge Elementary, has been named a 2019-2020 School Safety Patrol Advisor of the Year by the Ohio AAA Auto Club.
“She approaches each student with a gentle kindness while empowering them to be responsible/independent student leaders,” Principal Tyson Hilkert said in his recommendation letter of Ryther.
More than 500 advisors were nominated for the honor throughout the Ohio AAA Auto Club’s 38-county territory. Ryther was one of five selected for their leadership and dedication to safety and citizenship.
Since becoming the safety patrol advisor at Huber Ridge, Ryther has had 4 students who have been inducted into the Ohio AAA Auto Club’s Safety Patrol Hall of Fame. She has received two G.E.M. (Great Educator and Mentor) awards from the Westerville Board of Education for her various roles, including crossing guard advisor. She has also worked with the Ohio AAA Auto Club AAA to obtain grants to support the patrol and worked with AAA representatives to provide training for the students during their lunches.
“Passion is the most important quality to have when dealing with the safety of children,” fifth-grade teacher Ashley Rable wrote in her recommendation of Ryther. “All that Patty does is done with this passion and love. She is passionate about keeping kids safe, and about the patrolers growing as human beings, evolving in their independence and responsibility. When training students, Patty’s passion is apparent.”