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.
Beverly Williams entered small-town Portage with aspirations to grow her family. Little did she know that she would lay a cornerstone at George L. Myers Elementary School through her work as a parent volunteer, a crossing guard and a classroom...
Nicole “Nikki” Martinez, an English Language Arts (ELA) eighth grade teacher at Fegely Middle School, has invested her life in education. As a first generation college graduate, Martinez felt empowered from her former teachers. She overcame...
From aspiring zookeeper to dedicated middle school teacher, Eric Schmiedl’s career path took him on an unexpected journey. For the past eight years, he’s been teaching Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses at Willowcreek Middle School, but before...
For the last two school years, Sergeant Matthew “Matt” Johnson of the Portage Police Department has been stationed at Fegely Middle School as the school resource officer. Becoming a school resource officer wasn’t always his plan, though....
Sophia Anasis, the band director at William Fegely Middle School, fell in love with band early in her schooling. Ignited by a passion for teaching, Anasis seeks to lead the next generations of band students. “I think band really teaches...
Brenden Vaupel, a graduate of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (NILEA), worked hard to pass a series of physical and mental training courses. He is now a proud police officer within the Portage Police Department Patrol Division working...
Kayla Pleasant, a current junior at Portage High School (PHS), has bolstered her educational journey through an extensive commitment to academics, sports, and extracurriculars. Fueling the greatest purpose within her schooling is her love of...
Genise Shumaker, a real estate broker at McColly Real Estate, found her passion in helping people find their dream homes. With a strong motivation to serve the community, Shumaker also uses her flexible schedule to partake in an abundance of...
From joining the Marine Corps, working at a steel mill, starting his own videography business, and live streaming city meetings for the City of Portage, Zernul “Z” Shackelford Jr. has been on a journey of pursuing his dreams. Growing up on the...
Jill Redmon, the district coordinator of Media Services for Portage Township Schools (PTS) embarked on a journey from teacher to media specialist. She contributes her professional journey to her unwavering love of education. Early in Redmon’s...