By Mandy McFarland Enquirer Coordinator
BREMEN —  Most people would allow a long list of successes and accolades to go their heads.
Not Shannon Sickelka, a senior at Bremen High School who takes it all in stride, and who does not necessarily aim to come out in top — she just enjoys what she does.
“It’s really not a big deal to me,” she said about two major honors she received almost back-to-back. “For me, it’s not about what kind of award I get. If I get some kind of award, hey, that’s cool, but I really don’t care that much.”
Shannon was named the Indianapolis Star’s Athletic All-Star, which recognizes the top 40 Indiana student athletes in Indiana.

Shannon is also a National Merit Scholar, chosen based on PSAT scores. Founded in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) begins its screening process with the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in the fall. Of the 1.5 million high school juniors who took the test, 16,000 qualified as semifinalists, and from those were chosen 8,200 nationwide finalists. Shannon was one of 2,500 to receive a $2,500 scholarship.
Shannon is the 22nd student at Bremen High School since 1978 to be named a National Merit Scholar. According to school guidance counselor Melissa Manges, Shannon’s PSAT score was the highest in Bremen history.
“I’m really proud of her,” Manges said. “We’re going to miss her. she’s definitely left a lasting impact on Bremen High School.”
Shannon’s top extracurriculars included serving as a football manager for four years and a basketball manager her freshman and sophomore years, and running track for the last three years. She has been in six school drama productions and was involved in the school’s academic teams, president of the Key Club, vice president of the Spanish Club, a member of the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Students, and served on the countywide youth board BEAM (Bettering Every Aspect of Marshall County).
She plans to attend the College of William and Mary in Virginia in the fall with an undecided major.