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Updated: May 5, 2025 @ 7:20 am
After receiving over a half a million dollars in scholarships to various schools, Luke Butts officially committed to Southern Arkansas University as a theatre major.
After receiving over a half a million dollars in scholarships to various schools, Luke Butts officially committed to Southern Arkansas University as a theatre major.
After receiving over a half a million dollars in scholarships to various schools, Luke Butts officially committed to Southern Arkansas University as a theatre major.
Butts will be a key speaker and honored at Westside High School’s Academic Signing Day May 8 after receiving the most scholarship offers in his graduating class.
He is the son of Samuel Butts Jr. and Ashley Whitelaw-Butts. He was born in Daytona Beach, FL, but spent most of his elementary days in Columbia County. He participated in Emerson’s Quiz Bowl and the Magnolia gifted program. He entered many of his art projects in shows and won various prizes.
Butts moved back to Florida and graduates from Westside High School in Jacksonville. He is president of his high school drama club, The Westside Stories. Butts found a passion for acting while doing dual enrollment with college and high school and working part time.
He has received both academic and performing theatre scholarships to attend SAU.
He will graduate with a weighted GPA of 3.875 and is ranked top 5% in his graduating class of 373 students. He has over 36 college credit hours due to his hard work and dedication and will enter his first year at SAU as a sophomore.
He has worked his way up over the past four years to a lifeguarding manager position for the City of Jacksonville. He also works part time during the off season at Dunkin Donuts.
Luke said after spending much of his childhood in Magnolia, he is excited to reunite with old friends, teachers and be closer to his extended family.
He is excited to be a part of the theatre program and cannot wait for Magnolia to see him on stage.
He enters SAU as a potential 4th generation graduate. His great-grandfather, Ernest Whitelaw Jr., graduated from Southern State. His grandfather, Sam Whitelaw, was a 1981 graduate from SAU. His mother, Ashley, graduated in 2011.
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