Header photo above (taken in the winter of 1978) shows Kent and his father Bernie setting up one of five 20 foot steel poles that supported the 6x12 beams for the roof of the Ukiah home.
Kent in his classroom at Ukiah High School, 2003
Kent in his classroom at Ukiah High School, 2003
- Born in 1953
- Raised in Los Gatos, attended public schools in Saratoga
- Graduated from Saratoga High School in 1971
- U.C. Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts degree in French (1975)
- Participated in the U.C. Education Abroad Program (EAP--"Junior Year Abroad") to Pau and Bordeaux, France (Fall 1973-Spring 1974)
- Worked as a camp counselor for young children on the island of Noirmoutier, La Vendée, France (Summer of 1975)
- San Jose State University--Standard Secondary Teaching Credential, Major in French, Minor in Social Science (1975-76)
- Student taught at Saratoga High School and Redwood Junior High School (1975-76)
- Hired as full-time teacher of French, Ukiah High School, Mendocino County (Fall of 1976)
- With the help of parents Bernie and Rhoda Porter, built adobe brick house on six acres in the hills above Ukiah (1977-1984)
- Girls JV and Varsity Basketball Coach, Ukiah High School (1976-1978)
- Elected vice-chair of the Mendocino County Democratic Central Committee (1978-1980)
- Married Cyndi Smith-Porter (June, 1991)
- Daughter Megan Porter born (September, 1994)—Megan is currently a third-grade teacher in San Diego County
- Organized and chaperoned students from Saratoga High and Ukiah High--15 summer family-to-family exchange stays, France and California (1978-1995)
- President of the 350-member Ukiah Teachers Association (UTA) during two different periods (1983-1985 and 1992-1995)
- Chief negotiator of the UTA (1990-1991)
- Served as an appointed board member of Project Sanctuary, an organization providing shelter & help for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse (1995-96)
- Served as an elected board member of Ukiah Valley Sanitation District (2012-2013)
- Organized and chaperoned his students on "Spring Break Trips to Paris (and other European Cities")--eight , two-week trips (2002-2014)
- Retired after 38 years of teaching French 1-4AP at Ukiah High School (June, 2014)
- Founded a small tour company for adults, "Independent Tours", organized and accompanied three small group trips for adults-- France, Italy, New Zealand, and the Netherlands (2015-Present)
- Served as Chair of the Saratoga High School Class of 1971 50th +1 reunion steering committee (March 2020-Present)
- With wife Cyndi, sold home in Ukiah in May of 2021, purchased a home in North Oakland, CA (Temescal/Bushrod) where they now live (June, 2021-Present)
