Champions For Youth

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Ralph R. Porter, founder and Executive Director of CHOiCES Charter School, joins six distinguished predecessors as the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area's 2010 Champion For Youth.   From 1968-1972 Porter was a U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer diver assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal. He served two tours in Viet Nam.   Holding an A.S. degree in Police Science, a B.A. degree in Criminal Justice, and a Masters Degree in Management and Human Services from Webster University, Porter also completed the 146th Session of the FBI National Academy. He served for 30 years in a variety of law enforcement positions in Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, and South Carolina, and retired as the Chief of Police, City of Florence, in December 2000.   After leaving his law enforcement career, Porter founded the CHOiCES Charter School, which boasts an 85% success rate in helping youth who are unable to continue in their assigned schools for a variety of reasons. Porter is an active member of many local, state, and national organizations, including Central United Methodist Church, Florence Kiwanis Club, the South Carolina Charter Schools Association, and the FBI National Academy Graduates Association.   Married for 39 years, Porter and his wife Marlene have a daughter and granddaughter who live in Richmond, Virginia. He enjoys a variety of active, outdoor hobbies.