The Gale Scholars Program is not simply a scholarship. It is a turning point—one that introduces opportunity at an age when many students haven’t yet learned how to imagine their futures. For Shalane Worden, Steve Cheesman, and three remarkable Galesburg High School students—Amaya Savage, Cordae Sanchez, and Lanayah Sanchez—the program represents transformation across generations.

Shalane, now a first-grade teacher at King Elementary, knows the power of the Gale Scholarship better than most. “I was born and raised in Galesburg. I went to King, Lombard, and Galesburg High School,” she says. “And now I teach in the same kindergarten classroom where I was once a student.” She earned her bachelor’s degree from Knox College in 2010 because she was a Gale Scholar—an opportunity she says changed everything. “Without it, I might not have been able to go to college at all.”

She broke her family’s cycle. She bought a home. She earned a master’s degree. And now she pours that same belief into the young students she teaches. “I was the first in my family to go to college,” she says. “This program gave me a life I’m grateful for—and the ability to give back to Galesburg.”

For Steve Cheesman, longtime Galesburg educator and program director, the Gale Scholars Program is a labor of love. A 1976 GHS graduate and 1980 Knox graduate, he sees the program as the opportunity he himself didn’t have. “I feel like a Gale Scholar without being a Gale Scholar,” he says with a smile. “To help administer something this meaningful—for students who deserve it—is a privilege.”

Students begin the program during eighth grade through a rigorous selection process requiring interviews, recommendations, and demonstrated academic promise. Each cohort includes ten students who receive structured support throughout high school, including summer school, mentoring, enrichment experiences, and guidance on academics, activities, and community service.

The pathway is clear:

• Graduate from GHS with at least a 2.5 GPA and attend Carl Sandburg College tuition-free.

• Maintain strong academic standing and complete required service hours and activities.

• Earn the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree at Knox College at no cost.

• Students graduating with a 3.8 or higher can bypass Sandburg entirely and move directly to Knox.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity,” Steve says. “We have students walking out of college debt-free. That’s life-changing.”

For the current scholars around the table, that life change feels very real.

Cordae, a junior, speaks with maturity beyond his years. “When I started eighth grade, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he says. “But becoming a Gale Scholar taught me discipline, academic focus, and how to become a better person in society.” He is ambitious—taking AP Physics now and preparing for more advanced courses next year. “The program covers AP testing fees,” he adds. “That means a lot. It removes barriers.”

Lanayah, also a junior, describes the scholarship as a profound relief. “Now I can focus on my grades without worrying about how I’ll pay for college,” she says. She plans to pursue law—possibly criminal law—because she wants to “be a voice for people who are voiceless.” Her pathway is already forming: Honors American Studies, Law in America, challenging prep classes that stretch her thinking and strengthen her confidence.

Amaya, a senior who plans to go into nursing, echoes the theme of emotional steadiness. “I would be a lot more stressed without this,” she says. “Knowing I have this opportunity lets me see myself in the future—not just dreaming about it, but actually planning for it.” She is already enrolled in the GAVC nursing program to begin preparing for her career.

For all three, being first-generation college students is a point of pride—not just for themselves, but for their families. “My family fought tooth and nail to be where they are,” Cordae says. “Now it’s my turn to step up.”

What stands out in the conversation is not simply their gratitude, but their motivation. Each student is pushing forward with purpose. They study harder. They prepare earlier. They ask deeper questions. As Shalane has seen firsthand, “They take initiative. They don’t hold back.”

That spark is exactly what the program was built to ignite.

Steve, who calls himself their “daddy-mama bear,” sees it every day. “If I made it, they’re going to make it,” he says. “They have everything they need—and they have us behind them.”

The Gale Scholars Program doesn’t just change a student. It changes a family. A community. A future.

Opportunity opens the door. Determination walks through it.

And Galesburg is better every time a scholar takes that step.