Mykayla Cunningham, a 17-year-old senior from Salina, has had an impressive year at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. While attending Central High here in Salina, Mykayla was recruited to Ohio from a basketball camp in Tennessee where the coach got in touch with her parents, Robert and Vesa. Since then, Mykayla has thrived in both basketball and track, traveling across the country to play games.
This year, Mykayla became one of the first players on the school's newly formed girls basketball team, traveling to Canada, New York, and Chicago for games. While she enjoys basketball, Mykayla says that she also loves track. Her specialty is the high jump.
Mykayla's hard work has paid off as she's committed to playing basketball at Lenwood University in Missouri, after high school graduation. Her dream is to become an elementary school teacher. She graduates on May 20, and her family will be in Ohio to support her, including her brother Josh.
Despite being away from her family, Mykayla keeps in close contact with them, speaking with them every night. She credits God with helping her stay grounded and focused on her goals. Through playing point guard and wing positions on the court, she's learned to be competitive against some of the best players in the country and found independence in being away from home, which has made the transition to college easier.