Life in the Spotlight

Whether she’s in the classroom or out in the stables, Debra “Deb” Ekdahl has always had a strong passion for helping others. The eighth grade Willowcreek Middle School English teacher has found a unique way to inspire her students both in and...

Kailey Brauer is an eighth-grade science teacher at Fegley Middle School. Brauer has been around the area for a while now, but no matter where she has taught, her heart belongs to Fegley it seems.  “I was at Fegley for a year in 2021. I left and...

Growing up with a mother who teaches English can come with beneficial life lessons. It can also affect your career choice. That happens to be the case for Rivian Ross who followed in her mother’s footsteps and became an English teacher. ...

Brett St. Germain has done it all throughout his career. From being a head coach in multiple sports to becoming an athletic director at Portage High School, to his current role, St. Germain has given back to the community and the youth in the region...

Dana Petrouski is the secretary at Fegely Middle School. It has been quite the ride for Petrouski as she has traveled the world and back, but through it all she has found herself right where she belongs, at Fegely Middle School.  “I have...

Ashley Music is an eighth-grade science/biology teacher at Fegely Middle School. This is her second year at Fegely, but this was not what she had in mind for her career during her freshman year of college.  Like most college freshmen, Music had...

Kidney transplant surgery is common in the United States. Unfortunately, in November of this year, Kelly VanVleet, a member of LifePoint Baptist Church, was in dire need of this surgery. That is where LifePoint Baptist Church Pastor Sam Marasco comes...

“It's my dream job,” Lisa Norman said. Funnily enough, becoming a teacher wasn’t always on Norman's radar. Norman is currently a Language Arts teacher at Fegely Middle School in Portage - but this wasn’t always the career she had envisioned...

Katie Marmino is a behavioral specialist at Jones Elementary School. With this title comes quite the list of responsibilities, yet it allows Marmino to gain skills for her life outside of work.  “I spend most of my time helping the teachers figure...

“Servants’ hearts and a love for helping people – that’s having this profession,” said Melinda Malaski. Malaski may appear to just be a sixth-grade teacher at Fegely Middle School, but she is more than just that. In addition to teaching...