Richard Porta, Age 56

Richard Porta was a school counsellor at PS 134 in Manhattan known for his dedication. A UFT member for 30 years, Richard invested his own time and money in furthering his knowledge and skills in the interest of helping the children and made his office a haven for kids to resolve their problems so they could return to the classroom. He took inspiration from Buddhism to bring calming practices into the school to help troubled children. In his spare time, Richard was a photographer and enjoyed folk music.