Life in the Spotlight

Stephanie German, a Special Olympic athlete, is thankful to be alive. Last summer, she left work because she had flu-like symptoms with a high fever. She thought it was a virus. At home, she rested and expected to feel better. Instead, her symptoms...

Most high school kids would probably view a five-mile run at seven in the morning as the stuff of nightmares, but for Tommy Elwood, a junior at Portage High School, this is what a typical morning looks like. Elwood is a proud member of the cross...

Teresa Cox, Highland resident and teacher at Willowcreek Middle School, has a sense of compassion that touches everyone she meets. “I really owe that to my grandparents,” Cox said. “They were my role models for everything, the greatest people...

Mary Clancy is a trailblazer. As the youngest woman to be elected to the Portage Township School Board, Clancy, 21, is a shining example for her community, offering an important perspective by taking office at the youngest age possible on the board....

A devoted wife and working mother of three, Veronica Labonte is always lending a helping hand and a smile to the administrative staff and students of Portage High School. She worked for Portage Township schools for six years doing clerical work in...

Overcoming the odds and becoming the new assistant principal at Portage High School has inspired Roberta Garcia to work hard to help make her community a better place. Garcia was born and raised in Hammond, where she attended George Rogers Clark High...

As director of student achievement and innovation for Portage Township Schools, Robert Wilson dedicates his life to the success of Portage students. He is a liaison between students and the bountiful resources, community partners, and opportunities...

In high school, Marissela Lynch wrote down her dreams of the future. She pictured herself in an office crunching numbers as an accountant in sunny California. Her journey led her away from briefcases and calculators to brightly colored dresses,...

All cliches have a little truth in them. “It takes a village to raise a child” is one. Parents, grandparents, principals and teachers often are recognized as the village for their part in reaching a child, but at Portage Township Schools, mentors...

Mike Poynter is passionate about providing a good balance between coaching to win and coaching to enhance the lives of student athletes. Poynter graduated from Hammond Baptist High School in Schererville and attended Olivet Nazarene University, where...