Spartan Scuttlebutt:
January Spartan of the Month from Texas to Teaching
By Greg Smith OAKMONT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

John Galaznik

John Galaznik, the January Spartan of the Month, is a busy man.

As a member of Student Council, he's helped run the Homecoming Dance and the charity fundraiser, Claws for a Cause. In the winter, he spends many nights keeping the statistics for the boys' varsity and junior varsity basketball teams. In the fall, Galaznik plays defense for the boys' soccer team. He even finds time to volunteer at the Westminster public library.

Why is Galaznik so busy?

The answer is simple: "Helping people is important to me," he said in a modest, matter-of-fact way.

Galaznik hopes to become a history teacher in the future, a goal that he developed in middle school.

"Mrs. [Kim] Normile helped me decide that I wanted to become a teacher. She always seemed to enjoy her job and have a good time as she helped others," he said.

Here at Oakmont, Galaznik has another role model.

"Mr. [Colin] Carey and I play basketball together. He's a good friend as well as a teacher," Galaznik said. "He even lets me teach his classes when they study the Alamo, because I've been there many times."

Galaznik's interest in the Alamo may be a result of the fact that he's a native Texan. He moved to Westminster with his parents, Kenneth and Tessa Galaznik, when he was 10 years old. Galaznik is close to his parents, who have special roles in his life.

"I look up to my dad and he's helped me learn about history," he said. "My mom is great. I have a lot of fun with her."

Galaznik gives much of himself to the school community, and he holds our school in high regard.

"Oakmont is a great school. The teachers are great. It's just a cool place to be," he states. "I don't even mind getting up at 6 a.m. to get to school every day."

When asked about what makes Oakmont a great school, Galaznik said, "I like the people at Oakmont, everyone from the students to the teachers."

The January Spartan of the Month, John Galaznik, is one of the main reasons that Oakmont continues to be "a cool place to be."