Shawn Johnson balances fame with everyday school life

By CYNTHIA REYNAUD • creynaud@dmreg.com • July 27, 2008 Shannon Miller, like Shawn Johnson, knows all about being a high-profile Olympic gymnast at a public high school. Miller recalls juggling homework and practices, dealing with jealous teenagers and struggling to adjust to fame in her own hallways. The 16-time world and Olympic medal-winner is keenly aware of one thing Johnson has yet to learn, however: what life is like after international Olympic stardom. "When you come back to school after the summer, all of a sudden you're a household name," said Miller, now 31 and a motivational speaker and television host living in Florida. "I understood how to deal with that in the gymnastics world, but then having to go do that at high school was really tough." At Valley High School in West Des Moines, the adjustment exists for... [read full story]