Lauren Butler chooses Grambling from over 20 offers

This is a part of a series on local students who graduated in the Top 10 of their senior classes and the plans these bright youths have for the future. 

Lauren Nicole Butler is the 18-year-old daughter of Albert & Lula Anderson Butler.  She finished high school with a 3.973 GPA and was ranked #10 out of 186 students.

courtesy of Lauren Butler

At VHS, Lauren was an active student.

She served as Gator Girl Manager, Key Club President, Senior Class Vice President, Mu Alpha Theta Vice President, a member of the National Honor Society and the 2020 VHS Homecoming Maid of Honor.

Courtesy of Lauren Butler

She was in the top 3 chili dinner sellers for Key Club since her sophomore year. Those proceeds went to the Kiwanis youth fund.  Lauren was also voted class favorite every year in addition to being the key speaker in many ceremonies at Vicksburg High School.

Lauren completed 17 college hours while in high school, and this has no doubt helped in her being accepted into over 20 historically black colleges and universities. She has also been accepted to The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University.

courtesy of Lauren Butler

Lauren was awarded an impressive number of scholarships this year as well. These include the Key Club Scholarship, the Sherry Ann Fisher Scholarship, the Stewart L. Kees Scholarship, MASRO Scholarship, Benevolent Club Scholarship and the prestigious Blacks in Government Scholarship.

Lauren credits her determination and drive to two of her late aunts, Carrol Ann Anderson and Willie Mae Stevenson. 

She also credits her success to the wonderful teachers she encountered at VHS, especially Olivia Davis McCoy and Virginia Gage Thames. She said these teachers always pushed her to do her very best. She also credits her family for always believing in her. 

Lauren currently works at Sports Force Park.

In the fall, Lauren plans to attend Grambling State University in Grambling, LA where she will major in Elementary Education.

If you are one of the Top 10 graduates from a 2021 class in Vicksburg and would like to be featured, please contact us at info@vicksburgnews.com.