Local leaves a legacy at JHS

BUDA — Brenda Kise, lovingly known as Nana, was not only the designated baker of the Johnson High School Rosettes, an award-winning varsity performance and competitive dance team, but someone the dancers could count on and run to when they needed a strong hug or advice, according to dance director Brooke Lowden. Kise died on Nov. 29, but is leaving a legacy behind.

Kise was an integral part of the team, explained Lowden. When JHS opened in 2019, there was no funding for the dance team, so parents of the students had to work together to raise money. This covered every aspect of the team, including dance costumes, stage props and food for the girls. Kise and her daughter Stephanie Bell, who is the mother of a former Rosette, helped found the boosters club.

“Her role [in the program] was to be everyone’s Nana,” said Lowden. “She truly loved every single girl and she loved watching them dance and perform. She came to every performance, every competition, every spring show. She got to know the girls [and] she got to know me really well. It was just a real special relationship.”

Despite her granddaughter graduating in 2022, she continued to be an active participant in the Rosette program, whether this was baking or cheering them on from the crowd. Her treats were some of the girls favorites. Lowden recalled a time when the team members requested 10 different treats and Kise later presented them with every single one.

“She gave the best hugs in the world and she just kind of knew what everybody needed,” the director said. “She had no problem going up and talking to you and saying, ‘Look, if you ever need anything, I’m here for you.’”

The impact that Kise had on the team is an important one, according to Lowden. She commented on the significance of what someone being present and consistent can do for a young girl and how Kise was one of the many faces among the crowd that the girls could recognize. Kise, along with the other parents and family members that continue to provide support, contributed to the familial feel the dance program has.

After her passing, Lowden explained that she was contacted by Bell, who wanted to keep her mother’s legacy alive, commenting on how much her mother loved the Rosettes; thus, the Heart Like Nana Scholarship was created.

“One girl will be awarded the scholarship funds and it will be based simply off of a Rosette that has a heart like Nana, meaning that she supports everyone, not just herself, and she loves the program and is committed to seeing the program continue to grow and the legacy stay strong,” Lowden said.

Although details have yet to be determined, Lowden stated that the award can be used toward the fees of the dance team or for a college scholarship.

For more information or to donate, visit the JHS Rosette Facebook page at Facebook.com/JohnsonRosettes.