Michael O’Malley, a social studies teacher at Laurel High School, grew up in Big Sandy, which is a small, small town 30 miles south of Havre. “It was all dirt roads. We only had one paved street and only one street light,” O’Malley explained. In high school, he played basketball for four years and was a track runner for four years. Running became part of his personality, as he participated in road races for 20 years after high school.

On a personal level, O’Malley boasted about being a proud dad and grandfather. He explained that his father was a big inspiration to why he became a teacher: his dad was a principal and teacher for 35 years. O’Malley started teaching in 1988 and was a substitute teacher in Havre, Missoula, and Billings.