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.
Courtney Castle’s motto when it comes to work is that there is no problem she can’t fix. As an administrative assistant for Portage Utility Services-Field Forces, Castle’s job involves working with a lot of people within the community. While...
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” Portage resident Debbie Podgorski keeps this quote from...
Jon Chlebowski, Assistant Principal at Willowcreek Middle School, always carried a bit of a flare for the dramatic. He’d gone to college with the original goal of turning a theater degree into an acting career, but found something new. “I...
Katie Lovall’s vibrant energy and endless ambition first touched the halls of Central Elementary in Portage four years ago, when she began working as the school’s health assistant. Though she embraced this opportunity to work with children and be...
A firm believer in the mantra ‘everything happens for a reason,’ Portage native and Porter Regional Hospital radiographer Gina Giese-Hurst lives life with an inspiring faith. “Years ago, I was called into work shortly after my father passed...
They say a little faith can go a long way, and that philosophy has paid off for Sharon Santiago. Santiago has been lucky to call Portage her home for her entire life and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. There are many reasons she has wanted to...
With the passion that 7th grade mathematics teacher Jeffrey Smenyak radiates for his students, it’s hard to believe that education wasn’t always his career of choice. Smenyak was originally to major in in Actuarial Science at Butler University,...
Working to uphold the law can be hard work. But for someone as diligent and dedicated as Charlie Mathewson, it’s worth it. As a railroad police officer, he performs all of the typical duties of an officer of the law, while also educating the...
To many of the students at Central Elementary School in Portage, Nicole Slack is a bit of a Santa Claus. Of course, in reality, the students see her as the School Advisor who leads them in daily “Mindful Moments.” And occasionally she comes into...
Editor’s note: Miles Mavrovic is pictured on the right. It takes a huge team to keep a school district as big as Portage Township Schools running smoothly. Teachers, administrators, and of course, the students, all have big roles to play. Some,...