Miss Lake Villa Brittany Gallarneau: Never give up on your dreams

LAKE VILLA – When 17-year-old Brittany Gallarneau of Lake Villa was being bullied in middle school to the point of her hair falling out from the stress, she couldn’t imagine that one day life would be so fulfilling and happy.

If she could, she would tell her 13-year-old self not to worry so much and to stay strong because things will get better.

“I had been so worried about what other people thought of me and now that I am where I am, I would tell my younger self don’t let people bring you down," Gallarneau said. "Now, I’ve excelled.”

In addition to being a Lakes Community High School honor roll student, captain of the varsity dance team and an international spokeswoman against bullying, Gallarneau recently fulfilled a childhood dream.

Last month she was crowned Miss Lake Villa 2016 after competing for a title since she was just 6. This time, the seventh time was the charm.

“She is overwhelmed with pure joy and happiness that she gets to fulfill her childhood dream to represent her town she loves so much with grace, poise and integrity,” said Brittany’s mother, Patricia Gallarneau. “She wants to take this opportunity to express that you should never give up on your dreams. No matter how many times you fail, get up and try again.”

As her name was announced as Miss Lake Villa, Gallarneau said a wave of relief swept over her. Her years of perseverance and hard work had finally paid off.

“I felt like I was able to breathe again. I had wanted to be a Lake Villa queen for years,” she said.

Despite not winning a crown until this year, Gallarneau said she always enjoyed the experience because it gave her an opportunity to make new friends, learn public speaking and grow her self-confidence.

“It brought me out of my shell. I used to be really shy,” she said.

As Lake Villa’s ambassadors, Gallarneau and her fellow queens, Junior Miss Brighton Callaway and Little Miss Mia Green, will have little down time. They’ll be representing their community at a variety of local and neighboring events throughout the year.

All three girls will also be competing in the Lake County Fair Queen Pageant later this month.

Win or lose, Gallarneau is satisfied with how far she has come.

“For me, it would be an honor to represent the fair, but I am 110 percent content with my current title. I don’t feel like I have to have this. I have already achieved my goals. I feel whole,” she said.

Alice Brownlee, Village of Lake Villa Clerk and longtime pageant director, said one word specifically comes to mind when she thinks of Gallarneau – “sticktoitiveness.”

“She’s a very responsible young lady who’s obviously had good direction from her parents. She shows what young people should be heading for and doing. Maybe we’d have a better view of the future if we had more young people like her. She’s a wonderful girl,” Brownlee said.

Standing up against bullying

Gallarneau has come a long way from the bullied child she was just a few years ago.

“It was all-consuming,” she said.

Verbal bullying from a former friend started when Gallarneau was in fifth grade. By middle school, the torment progressed to cyberbullying.

At the encouragement of her family and friends, Gallarneau participated in the Northern Illinois Scholarship Program in 2012 and received the title of Senior Supreme Queen. In 2013, she wrote an essay about her bullying experiences for [Tiara Magazine and was asked to walk in a Live Out Loud Charity fashion show.

Gallarneau became the organization’s leadership speaker, traveling the world to share her anti-bullying message with other young people. In 2014, she was presented with the Courage Award from Tiffany Varchetto, founder of ABC Anti-Bullying Cause and was named Ms. Worldwide Teen for Live Out Loud Charity.

Had she won a Lake Villa pageant crown sooner, Gallarneau said she would not have participated in the Northern Illinois Scholarship Program, which paved the way for her anti-bullying journey.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a greater reason and you don’t know why. Not everyone can say they've talked about bullying in front of thousands of people.”

Gallarneau, who is entering her senior year of high school, plans to create her own anti-bullying charity organization. “I’m excited to see where it will go. It’s such an important cause to me.”

In college, she plans to study aviation management and follow in her father’s footsteps to become a commercial pilot. Her dad is already teaching her how to fly in the family’s Cessna. She’s also not ruling out competing in future pageants.

Gallarneau knows she is blessed and thanks her family, including dad Hugh, mom Patricia and 13-year-old sister Alyssa, who is an accomplished singer with her own radio show on WRLR 98.3, for their unwavering support.

“For me, it was a matter of never giving up. You can do anything you put your mind to,” she said.