POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Longtime Polk County educator Ralph Frier has no plans of slowing down at the age of 78. In fact, he is now devoting energy to helping school children in the African nation of Kenya.

Frier is the executive director of Ridgeview Global Studies Academy. Decades ago, he was the principal of Evangel Christian School in Lakeland. One of his former students there, Delta Ryan, started a ministry called Take Heart.

The organization helps widows and orphans in Kenya.

What You Need To Know

  • 78 year-old Ralph Frier is a Polk Hall of Fame educator 

  • One of Frier's former students, Delta Ryan, got him involved with the Take Heart ministry to Kenya

  • Frier recently made his sixth trip to Kenya to work on plans for a school in a small village

  • Oyuma Village Campus - Capital Campaign 
     
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Ryan got Frier interested in the ministry and he has now made six trips to the village of Oyuma. Before he left for his most recent trip, he explained that he would be working to advance a plan for a $1.2 million project that includes a $700,000 modern school building.

A big purpose of the trip was to meet with the engineers and the architect. Once in Kenya, Frier spent time with village students in their modest school.

He also spent time with a young man named Revine. Frier and his wife Billie sponsored Revine’s high school education and now they are sponsoring his medical school education.

A group of Polk County residents, including Ryan, was part of this latest trip.

Once back at his school in Polk County, Frier was still confident of the project’s future. “We are going to do this,” he said. “It’s coming together. I’m ready to start building. But we still need to get permits and all that kind of stuff.”

His drive for helping the children in Kenya is keeping him motivated.

“They are all so bright. But they need an opportunity. And given an opportunity they can make a difference,” said Frier. “They can make a difference in their village. They can make a difference in Kenya.”