Shannon McNatt
Graduate
Shannon joined Texas Connections Academy @ Houston in 2009 and was a member of the 2015 graduating class. Atalented gymnast, she appreciated Texas Connections Academy for helping her balance schoolwork and athletics. Shannon’s mom, Karen, shares her story below.
“When Shannon was five years old, I took her to Gymboree, and she fell in love with gymnastics. Years later, Shannon still feels that love. Her commitment to gymnastics requires her to practice six hours a day, six days a week. A typical schedule for her while attending Texas Connections Academy was to work out in the gym from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.; do lunch and schoolfrom 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.; and then more work in the gym from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.. Then she would go home for more schoolwork and rest.
Shannon maintained an A+ average in all of her classes and took challenging AP courses in her junior and senior years. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and the Salutatorian of her graduating class. With an excellent academic record and dedication to her sport, Shannon earned a full scholarship to University of Utah, where she competes on the gymnastics team and maintains a 4.0 GPA.
Attending Texas Connections Academy @ Houston allowed me to get a high quality education while still pursing my passion for gymnastics.
— Shannon
Being a part of Connections Academy allowed Shannon to pursue her goals as a gymnast, obtain a quality education, and participate in activities that would otherwise not be available to her, including the regional science fair. Set lessons removed me from being the task master, and a flexible schedule allowed her to do schoolwork at her own pace. Shannon’s teachers were amazing. She often emailed teachers after hours and got a response that same night."
Shannon says, “Attending Texas Connections Academy @ Houston allowed me to get a high-quality education while still pursuing my passion for gymnastics. In addition, the teachers were incredible—they did everything in their power to give me the best education possible, and even let me call after hours when I needed help.”
