We all have those dreams: dream   schools, dream careers, the ones that seem achievable and the ones that are just in our heads, but how often do we achieve those? College, gap years, specialties- Kenna Reed, senior has thought of it all. Reed Ultimately decided to pursue a cosmetology license from Evergreen Beauty College after high school. “It’s been my passion since I was a little kid,” Reed said.

Through theater, Reed’s passion and childhood dreams could come true. Reed has developed her passion for makeup and hair from a young age, and this year it has come full circle. “Since I was in 5th grade, my mom and I had this little thing where if I did enough chores once a month we could go to the drugstore and I could pick out one makeup product,” she said.

Reed joined the makeup department for Shorewood Drama before COVID-19, and found her true passion through the drama department. The drama department reopened after COVID-19, and she was able to develop her passion working as head makeup artist, in a professional environment. “It’s really fun because it’s part of this whole community but there are so many different paths that you can choose in theater, there are so many different tech departments for whatever you are passionate about,” Reed said.

She emphasizes the difference between makeup and hair on yourself versus others, and that this experience has been a true preview to her career path into cosmetology. She has had a lot of experience styling people, doing hair, wigs, and a lot of different makeup looks, from “Mermaid looks in ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ to prom looks for ‘The Prom’…I’ve gained that experience and realized it’s something I’m more passionate about.”

Reed received motivation and support from a scholarship, ‘Remarkable Futures with Chick Fil A,’ as well as people in her community who have also taken this unique path. She shares her connection with a past coworker at Chick Fil A who took a path transferring from college to cosmetology school, introducing her to the beauty school in the first place. She also found a connection with her own hair stylist who completed college before going into cosmetology school, the two things that Kenna was contemplating for her after high school plans. As a Christian, Reed has also considered taking a gap year to go on a mission trip through the program YWAM (Youth With A Mission). She knows multiple people in her personal life that have done and planned to go to college after.

Looking to the future, Reed plans to go straight into working for a salon, or may decide to go to college and pursue a travel and hospitality degree, or mission trip, following her heart and making her childhood dreams come true.