Ben Franklin Middle School students participate in service day

A group of Ben Franklin Middle School students washes cars Wednesday at the Valparaiso Police Department as part of a service day. Other groups engaged in other activities at various locations in the city. This was the first year students have done work communitywide, said Becky Cowan, a cou…

Ben Franklin Middle School students participate in service day

Bailey Vantine, 14, joins more than a dozen eighth-graders from Ben Franklin Middle School on Wednesday as they was police cars for a service project.

Ben Franklin Middle School students participate in service day

Students from Ben Franklin Middle school spray Valparaiso police cars with water Wednesday as they wash the vehicles for a service project. Nearly 100 eighth-grade students fanned out across the city to wash the cars, paint a mural at the Caring Place, sew toy bears at the hospital, work in …

Capri's Pizza

Len Ciannamera, left, and his son, Ben, stand in their pizzeria, Capri's Pizza, in Schererville. Len's father opened the first location in South Chicago in 1955.

Capri's Pizza

SCHERERVILLE | Ben Ciannamera takes a pizza out of the oven at Capri's Pizza in Schererville. Ciannamera's grandfather opened the first location in South Chicago in 1955.

Students look toward their futures

Benjamin Franklin Middle School eighth-graders Madi Walter, right, hands Drake Barton a dog brought by Dr. Larry McAfee of McAfee Animal Hospital during career day at the school Wednesday.

Students look toward their futures

Registered Nurse Cindy Sergent, of Porter hospital, talks Wednesday about different careers in health care while Benjamin Franklin Middle School eighth-grader Evan Curry helps out during career day at the school.

Porter County schools strive for excellence

Cindy Sergent, a registered nurse at Porter hospital, talks about different careers in health care while Benjamin Franklin Middle School eighth-grader Maggie Welsh pretends to be a nurse during career day at the school. Professionals from various industries told students about their careers.…

Students look toward their futures

A Argenteen Tegu walks around a classroom Wednesday at Benjamin Franklin Middle School while eighth-graders listen to Dr. Larry McAfee, left, talk about his job as a veterinarian. McAfee and his employees brought animals to share with the students on the career day.