Northern Indiana is full of people working hard every day to make their communities a better place. Since 2011, GreatNews.Life has been putting the spotlight on the people spreading this positivity in the Region with our Life in the Spotlight series. New articles are published every Wednesday, so be sure to check back often to learn more about the stories of great people doing great things in Northern Indiana.
In searching for an outlet that focused on cultural tradition and unity, Portage High School Senior Dawan Davis helped bring Steppaz to life. Steppaz is not only Portage High School’s first step team, it is also the district’s first step team....
The right teacher at the right time can change a student’s trajectory in life forever. Henry Pimentel, an exploring world language educator at Willowcreek Middle School, understands this. After all, he’s had his own teachers for his entire life....
Portage High School Senior Kaela Winfield sports a dense schedule, busying herself with a seemingly infinite set of school-related groups. This ambition began as early as elementary school. It was in fifth grade when Winfield rose to the top of the...
Anjelica Del Valle, a senior at Portage High School, shows off her incredible talents on and off of the basketball court. Del Valle has played basketball since she was only four years old, having followed in the footsteps of her older brother. “My...
Going into college for a medical degree, Lindsey Bando decided that she didn’t want to pursue a career in the medical field. She wanted to help people and make relationships within her community. After racking her brain, Bando landed on...
Kale Nelson has been a Region resident since he was born, and he continues to enjoy the area as he begins to build a career for himself post-graduation. As a kid, Nelson enjoyed watching his father coach high school sports, and as he began his high...
For seven years, 73-year-old Larry Dzrojkoski has been driving buses for Portage schools. After retiring, Dzrojkoski decided that he wanted to get another job, one that was more flexible. Dzrojkoski figured that bus driving would give him the...
When she was in fifth grade, Julie Whitten realized what she wanted to do with the rest of her life since she had never really enjoyed going to school until that year. Whitten instantly clicked with her teacher and realized that she wanted to have...
Even before he started to work there, Ryan McCoy was already living in the Port of Portage. He worked for another company that was based out of the Port, so he knew the ins and outs of the area. As the years progressed, McCoy was promoted to the Port...
Since high school, Alyssa Melendez has been interested in salon work. Having started her career as a receptionist, Melendez took a break from the salon but ultimately gravitated back to it. “I started at a salon in Portage, Indiana called Center of...