This week’s spotlight student is Colonel Crawford senior Raven Storm Sharrock—and if you don’t know her name, you’ve surely seen her face on a stage, in a choir, at a football game, or just about anywhere there’s something happening.
She’s the youngest of three in the Sharrock family and proudly carries the energy of a full cast of characters all on her own. Raven is the daughter of C. Aaron Sharrock and the granddaughter of Wanda “Mimi” Sharrock. She has an older sister, Kaiden, and a brother, Keenan. At home, she’s also got two feline companions, Illy Belle and Karl Marx.
A performer at heart, Raven’s favorite subject is musical theater, and her list of teachers she appreciates includes Godby, Eachus, Daniels, Clime, Ehman, Enders, Halberg, McKibben, Lyons, Cochran, and although he was never her teacher (he was her sister’s, her principal, and is now the athletic director) Bruner, who still ranks as one of her favorite people.
In school, Raven is everywhere—literally. She’s involved in Leo Club, National Honor Society, Teen Institute, Academic Challenge, Show Choir (Vision and Treble Threat), Women’s Chorus, Rock Band, Marching Band, and Concert Band. She’s also a varsity cheerleader and swimmer. Outside the school walls, she stays just as busy. Raven performs and volunteers with Galion Community Theater, serves as Vice President of the GCT Youth Board, dances at Douce Dance, sings with Next Generation Voice Studios, and swims for the Colonel Crawford Summer Swim Team. She’s a former BAY travel soccer player, a Bratwurst Festival volunteer, the 2023 Bratwurst Festival Queen, a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Upper Sandusky, and she even works for the Board of Elections on election day.
Her performance resume includes roles in The Secret Garden, Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Hansel and Gretel, Madagascar, Elf, Addams Family, Once Upon a Mattress, The Little Mermaid Jr., Annie, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and numerous church plays. Some of her standout roles include Ursula, Queen Aggravain, Grace Farrell, and Rona Lisa Peretti.
When she’s not rehearsing or performing, Raven enjoys singing, dancing, learning new instruments, and acting—basically everything performing arts related. She also takes her leadership roles very seriously, serving as Percussion Section Leader in the Marching Band and representing TI on its Youth Board.
Her hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Raven has earned multiple academic and performance letters, made the Honor and/or Merit Rolls all four years, and has been a part of both the BGSU and District 2 honors choirs. She’s the 2024 CCHS Talent Show winner. She has also earned varsity letters in swim, cheer, choir, show choir, marching band, and women’s chorus.
Raven was recently accepted to AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy), her dream school. Even if funding keeps her from attending, she considers the acceptance a major accomplishment. She’s been accepted to every college she applied to and is currently waiting to hear back from her final auditions before making a decision. No matter where she lands, she plans to study performing arts and musical theater—and her dreams include Broadway, the West End, the big screen, and creating original music.
When asked to describe herself, Raven says she’s active, funny, nice, and genuine. Others describe her as busy, involved, kind, and helpful—someone who’s always doing something and supporting everyone around her. Her favorite quote? “Just a girl with pretty brown eyes and a mind full of thoughts.” Her advice to younger students is simple but powerful: “Don’t lose yourself trying to fit in with everybody else. If they don’t like you for who you are, they weren’t meant to be part of your circle.”
Raven also wanted to share something most people may not know about her. Despite her long list of accomplishments, she lives with several invisible chronic illnesses and is considered disabled. That hasn’t stopped her though. It has only made her journey more of an adventure. She says, “If I’m down for even a few days, I have to rebuild completely. I don’t get to pick up where I left off. That’s why I work twice as hard just to keep going.” She’s used sports to stay strong for dance and singing and says the real competition is always with herself. “If I can do better than I did yesterday, I’m already a winner.”
Raven’s story is one of resilience, kindness, passion, and persistence. She’s a shining example of what it looks like to rise—no matter the challenge.
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