Kenna Miles is a 2026 Fort Scott High School graduate and is asking her community to help reach her goal to attend Theatre Arts Preparatory School in Las Vegas, Nevada starting September 1.
Kenna is chasing a dream she has had since a small child.
“More than anything, I want to give myself the chance to chase the dream I have had since I was little,” she said. “I have worked hard in dance and wrestling, and now I am ready to step back into dance and performing with everything I have.”
“She got a scholarship in wrestling to attend a university, but feels called by God to go into dancing,” her mother, Leslie Godden said.
She has been accepted into a training program in Nevada and is seeking help with funding for tuition, program fees, housing, and living expenses.
Godden said Kenna was dancing even in her womb. “And in her car seat, her head would be bobbing along with music. She started dancing at age 4.”
In school, Kenna was in both dance and wrestling. She started wrestling in 8th grade after watching her younger brother, Ryken Miles, wrestle. She won the state championship in wrestling twice.
The family found out about one month ago that she is eligible to attend the Theatre Arts Preparatory School in Las Vegas.
Even though Kenna received a Peterson Scholarship from Fort Scott High School, that and the FAFSA approval that she received are both for university attendance. The school she is wanting to attend is a trades school.
The FAFSA form is an application for student aid, such as federal grants, work-study funds, and loans.
“They both had certain guidelines, and trade schools are not approved,” Godden said.
In the submitted graphics, there is information about the mechanism to help fund Kenna’s training.
The following is an interview with Kenna:
When/how did you hear about this opportunity?
“I first heard about Theatre Arts Preparatory School, TAPS, through Don Mirault.https://theaterartsprepschool.com/faculty/don-mirault/ I have known Don through Talent on Parade, which is a dance competition and convention I have attended and competed at for many years. Through dance, I have been able to learn from so many people, and TAPS was always one of those programs I knew about and looked up to.
“One of my “big sisters” from dance also went to TAPS after high school, so I have been able to watch her journey for years.”
Aubrey Colvin, from Southeast High School, Cherokee, was the ‘big sister’, said Godden.
“Seeing what the program did for her made me realize it was something I could see myself doing someday too. It has always been in the back of my mind as a dream opportunity.
“When the time came, I decided to go for it. I submitted my audition videos, tried out, and was accepted. Now I am working hard to make it possible to actually get there.”
What is the deadline to help?
“The biggest need is as soon as possible. My schooling begins September 1, 2026, and I need to be moved to Las Vegas before then. I am currently trying to raise $9,000 to help with my initial program costs, housing deposits, moving expenses, and getting started once I arrive.
“Because I was accepted later than many of the other students, payments and planning have to happen quickly. Any help now makes a huge difference and helps me get one step closer to being able to attend.”
What is your hope/dream following this training?
“My hope after this training is to build a future in dance, theatre, and performing. Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I want to keep growing as a performer and see where it can take me professionally.
“I would love to work in the entertainment industry, whether that is stage, live performance, commercial dance, theatre, or other opportunities that come from training and being in Las Vegas. I know this program would push me, challenge me, and help prepare me for the next level.”
Godden said if the funding doesn’t come through this year, next year Kenna will be working hard to attend TAPS.
