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.
Jenna Blech is an individual who leads with positivity and strives to be an ideal role model for young students. The current principal at Jones Elementary School in Portage, Blech has been working for the Portage...
For nearly 20 years, Chris Crail has dedicated his life to helping those in need and ensuring their safety. A firefighter and paramedic for the Portage Fire Department, Crail is a man with a strong will and a passion for his community. Crail is also...
Dawn Kelley, the Quality Assurance Coordinator for the Food Services Department at Portage Township Schools, strives to ensure that today’s youth are getting the highest-quality products they need to succeed. According to Kelley,...
Curtiss Asbell has devoted his life to serving his community and paying it forward. He is involved with the Family Promise Foundation, he has been working for decades in service to the people of Northwest Indiana and strives to see the Region become...
Clinical Social Worker Amanda Jennings has had the opportunity to be a positive, driving force in people’s lives through both her job and volunteer work. She works at a private practice in Valparaiso and sits on the board of...
Lauren Nelson has been a guidance counselor at Portage High School for the past year and over that year she has dedicated her time both inside and outside of school giving back to her community. Nelson, originally from Lansing, Illinois, began her...
Shelly Gates thrives when helping the Region’s students. Gates has been a guidance counselor at Portage High School for four years, and has spent her life working with young people. “I’ve worked with kids for decades, whether that was through...
As a lifelong Portage resident, Sarah Cohen knows a little something about being part of the Portage community, especially when it comes to Portage High School. Cohen has been a math teacher at Portage...
When thinking of phenomenal teachers and influential community members, people like Connie King come to mind. King is currently a teacher at Central Elementary School and has been an instructor for 40 years....
When the words “exemplary instructor” are used, teachers like Christine Keaton come to mind. An English and Language Arts teacher at Willowcreek Middle School, Keaton knows the importance of being a strong role model for her students and...