Six individuals with roots in Northwest Indiana were named top innovators in their fields Wednesday by the region's Society of Innovators.

They include educators, an environmentalist, an inventor/philanthropist and a director of research for cutting-edge firefighting equipment.

In addition, Community Healthcare System was tapped for the society's Chanute Prize for Team Innovation. The award is named for Octave Chanute, a Chicago engineer who flew the first glider plane from the Indiana Dunes in Miller Beach in 1896, six years before Orville and Wilbur Wright tried powered flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C.

All those named to the Class of Innovators for 2008-2009 are scheduled to be honored at Thursday's fourth annual Innovation Awards induction ceremony at Hammond's Horseshoe Casino. Each honoree will be presented with a plaque and a $500 gift toward a charity.

At the ceremony, one of the six individual honorees will be named the Gerald I. Lamkin Innovation Fellow for Outstanding Achievement and Service. This is the first time in two years that the society has presented this fellowship award.

Those honored, who were selected from 74 nominations, are:

* Richard Bender, an 8th grade science teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Valparaiso, who has led his school to success in National Science Olympiad competition at the local, regional, state and national levels. On Nov. 1, 2006, his story was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

* Lee Botts, a nationally-recognized environmentalist who founded the Great Lakes Alliance and the Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center.

* Alan Harre, Ph.D., the retired president of Valparaiso University credited with transforming VU into a nationally and internationally-ranked university during his 20 years as president.

* Peter C. Kesling, D.D.S. holds more than 50 patents, and his ideas have shaped the orthodontic field during his 40-year career. These innovations include the Tip-Edge orthodontic bracket system that he invented 20 years ago.

* Sarah H. Givens is principal of Banneker Achievement Center in Gary. As principal of this Kindergarten through 6th grade school, Givens has led students and staff to achievement including being recognized as a Five Star School by the U.S. Department of Education for the 2007-2008 school year.

*Robert Steingass is director of research at Task Force Tips in Valparaiso. He invented the Monsoon water cannon to fight large fires.

Community Healthcare System was recognized for its innovative Breast Care: Same Day Results project. This fast-track system advises women of their mammogram results within the same visit as the exam. It also notifies women if a nonsurgical biopsy is required.