Massey Basketball: Streaks Alumni Profile- Brittany Galloway 2015

Today’s Streaks Alumni Profile features Brittany Galloway from the GHS Class of 2015.

Brittany brought energy to everything she did as a student at GHS. She was involved in a variety of activities while at GHS. Brittany was one of those students who made the school a better place with her involvement, enthusiasm, and leadership.

The wonderful news is that Brittany is still impacting GHS. She came back to Galesburg, and is teaching at GHS. Just as a student, she is involved in many areas of the school. GHS is certainly a better place with Brittany as a GHS leader today!!

Favorite Teachers/Classes

To pick a favorite class or teacher is tough! Some of my favorite classes were Young Adult Novels, Anatomy and Physiology, Economics, and Honors Algebra 3 Trig. I enjoy classes that challenge me to think critically and ask questions. I had so many great teachers here at GHS. Stu Schaafsma, Senora McQuiggin, and Mike Miller are just a few that stick out to me. Heather Kniker would have to be my favorite, though. I was lucky enough to have her through my junior and senior years of high school. The amount of care and patience she has for her students, along with her sense of humor, is something that can't be beat. I feel very lucky to get to learn from her in a different capacity in my adult years through my career.

National Honor Society

Activities/Sports at GHS

While attending GHS I participated in Project Graduation, C.A.R.E, National Honor Society, and Spanish Club. I also played volleyball my freshman year and was a Gadet all four years of high school.

Best Memories from Galesburg/GHS

All of my favorite memories from growing up in Galesburg came from the people I was able to build relationships with through being involved in extracurriculars. Whether it was Scrabble Club in elementary school, attending every Gadet/Cheer clinics and basketball and volleyball camps, playing Volleyball and Junior Streaks Basketball, Singing Streaks, the list goes on. It gave a memorable opportunity to meet so many people who would stick throughout my childhood and even into my adult years.

My best memories at GHS piggyback off of that as well. I appreciated the sense of community and school spirit I felt during homecoming, swirl, and all the different sporting events.

One of the coolest memories is from my sophmore year of high school when the Gadets got the opportunity to go to Disney and compete at the UDA National Dance Competition. The morning we were headed off it was so cool to see the foyer of the building flooded with support and encouragement.

Education After GHS

After I graduated, I attended Carl Sandburg from 2015 to 2017 and got my Associate's in Science. Following that, I attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. My time there got cut a little short due to COVID, but I graduated with my Mathematics Degree from the College of Education and Human Services in the May of 2020.

Career

I started my career at GHS in the fall of 2020 teaching math from my dining room table, but this upcoming school year will be my 7th year teaching math at GHS. I have also been working with the Gale Scholars Program for the last four summers, helping those incoming freshmen prepare for their upcoming math classes.

I coached the Gadets my second year of teaching. I am now a co-class sponsor of the 2028 graduating class and have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to choreograph the past two school musicals, Mean Girls and Mamma Mia.

Today

These days, I just love to spend time with my friends and family when I am not involved in different activities at school. I like to go to different concerts and events that allow me to see new places I've never been before. In my downtime, I love to cook, read, and watch a good movie.

Brittany celebrating the end of the school year with some
Fellow teachers in 2025.

Advice to Students/Athletes

The advice I would give to current students and athletes would be to be present in the moment and get involved! Go try those things that you have a minor interest in. You never know who you're going to meet or how much you may enjoy it.

I would also say push yourself out of your comfort zone, whether it is academically, socially, or physically, while taking advantage of the support you have from the adults around you in the building to have the encouragement to do so. We want to see you succeed!

August 2022, Brittany starts her third year teaching with
Her brother, Devin and sister, Taliya.

Why Galesburg?

I honestly never saw myself coming back to Galesburg. I moved back since I couldn't finish my last year at SIU due to COVID. I was actively applying for jobs in Southern Illinois when I saw there was a position open at GHS and told myself I might as well apply. A couple of days later, I interviewed and got offered the position. With the uncertainty of COVID and getting the opportunity to live closer to my family and friends for the first time after three years, I decided to make the permanent move back.

That’s a decision I don’t regret because again, the best part about Galesburg is the community. There are always different events going on that allow people from different backgrounds to get together and find a commonality. That’s the best part about Galesburg.

Sisters, Sariah and Taliya with Brittany at Taliya’s ‘25 graduation.

Best Part is Coming Back to GHS

The best part about working at the GHS has been getting to work in the same school my siblings are either attending or also working in. I’m one of six kids. I got to see my sister Taliya navigate her high school career from 2021-2025. My oldest brother Devin started working as the school’s psychologist in the fall of 2022, and my youngest sister Sariah will be in the 8th grade this upcoming school year. Five out of my six years there has always been at least two Galloways in the building, and that’s kinda cool to think about.

Also getting to learn from my former teachers, but in a different capacity and developing lasting friendships with them has been a highlight of my career at GHS. I always appreciated my teachers growing up, but working with them has given me a whole other level of respect for them. Our teachers do make a difference. I have come to realize the way I see things, my work ethic, and the way I choose to teach has been shaped by a lot of the amazing teachers we have here at Galesburg High School.