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.
“Never sell yourself short,” said Gretchen Bishop, Portage High School art teacher and graduate. “Never limit yourself.” Athletics came naturally for Bishop, a three-sport athlete. When her best friend asked if she’d sign up to take a...
Drew Rhoda has been around music his entire life, so it seemed he was destined to make it a career in some way. Since playing instruments starting in fifth grade, to now teaching music at Portage High School, Rhoda’s life...
This year, Aylesworth Elementary welcomed a new principal – Taria Taylor. She is a 15-year veteran in education, and never really imagined herself doing anything else. “I have wanted to be an educator for practically my whole...
The hit TV show “Chopped” and its sister kid friendly version “Chopped Junior” are two Region favorites, probably in part because 11--year-old Portage native Justice Irving has taken “Chopped Junior” by storm. Appearing on Season 9,...
Editor's note: James Kirk is in the middle in this feature photo “You always got to keep dreaming bigger!” This is what James Kirk had to say about reaching goals and elevating his aspirations to new heights. An engineering and technology teacher...
When Tommy Vardaman graduated from Portage High School, his thoughts were mainly on getting out of the city. He did, for a while, attending college first at Indiana Wesleyan and then on to a ministry school in Alabama. It took a few more years,...
Kelly Sheets has spent just about all of her adult life helping people in need and building a stronger community. A lot of that comes through her career helping the injured, but also through her service at organizations such as the Portage YMCA....
Hard work is something that pays off, and in Portage, Brent Wright is a perfect example of this, having built a name for himself both literally and figuratively. Wright has spent the last nine years as a real estate agent in Northwest Indiana. He...
The old saying always is, there is no place like home, and it definitely holds true for Tori Bliss, a paraprofessional for Portage High School. Bliss is Portage proud, born and raised. The only time she spent away from the city was a brief stint at...
Protecting and serving the community is one of the most important things a public servant can do. Fire captain Randy Wilkening serves his community with a smile and seemingly endless hours of hard work. Coming to Portage in 1990 from Merrillville,...