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PLUM, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — Ron Sakolsky taught at the Plum Borough School District for 28 years. To his students, he’s known as Mr. S.
“I taught seventh-grade world history and eighth-grade civics for three years, and then I was straight seventh-grade world history,” Sakolsky told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Jordan Cioppa.
In 1999, Sakolsky’s love for teaching took him out of the halls of what was then A.E. O’Block Junior High and into the classrooms of schools in Luoyang, China. He was one of 14 teachers in the United States to be chosen for a teaching exchange program.
“China made me the person I am today. The Chinese taught me a tremendous amount,” Sakolsky said. “Within two months, they had already shown me that you appreciate the simple things in life – that you don’t have to have a fancy home or lots of money or a fancy car.”
Sakolsky returned to Plum after spending a year abroad, bringing home treasured keepsakes, memories and stories.
“I brought everything back with me, down to the little Baijiu glasses, which is Chinese rice whiskey,” Sakolsky said as he pointed to a corner curio cabinet full of Chinese gifts he received.
The people of China made a lasting impact on Sakolsky, and 27 years later, he learned he did the same for them.
“Two months ago, I start getting all of these emails and text messages. Some from students of mine, some from colleagues of mine,” Sakolsky said.
A video of a woman in China circulated online. She was looking for Sakolsky.
“Hello, Mr. Ronald Sakolsky. If you happen to come across this video, I’d like to sincerely invite you back to China,” the video began.
The woman in the video is Yin Yuzhen.
During his stay in China, Sakolsky was watching TV when a segment on Yin caught his attention. She and her husband were on a mission to plant trees in a desert in Inner Mongolia.
Touched by her story, Sakolsky secured a $5,000 donation for Yin with the help of an organization out of Boston.
The two connected a few months later, on the land that became known as the Sakolsky Forest.
“We’re standing in the middle of nothing, just sand,” Sakolsky said. “The idea was that the trees would keep the sand from blowing into the wind and then literally traveling 100 kilometers to Beijing, and the sand would blow down the streets of Beijing.”
Yin took to social media a couple of months ago in hopes of finding Sakolsky and inviting him back to China.
It turns out his good deed over two decades ago grew into a forest of 50,000 trees.
“This is what’s amazing: there was nothing there when I was there,” Sakolsky said while watching Yin’s video.
Sakolsky and Yin reconnected over the phone recently, but soon they will reunite in person.
Their story went viral in China, and even reached the Chinese ambassador to the U.S.
“The next thing I know, I get invited to Washington, D.C., as his guest of honor. What a thrill,” Sakolsky said.
In June, Ambassador Xie Feng issued Sakolsky a 10-year visa so he can visit China once again.
Eagerly awaiting to see him, Yin shared a video message with Sakolsky on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
“Hello, big brother. I saw that you got your visa that day. I’m very happy. I was laughing and crying,” Yin said in Chinese, surrounded by the lush green trees of the Sakolsky Forest. “I just want to see you right away.”
Like the trees, a friendship that sprouted from an act of kindness in 1999 continues to grow in 2026.
“All I wanted to do was thank China for what they had taught me, and changed me, made me a better person, help Miss Yin to beautify China. That’s all I wanted to do,” Sakolsky said. “I just wanted to help. That’s all I did.”
Sakolsky plans to travel to China in late August.
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