While being considered for last year’s district promotional video and commercial, Rashad Butler didn’t think he would get selected.
But he was and continues to hear from people who caught a glimpse of him and now see him as a role model.
“It’s great when people in the community stop me and tell me how good of a job I am doing,” said Rashad, a senior at Lima Senior High School. “It’s nice to be a role model to people who don’t even know you.”
The son of Iesha Glenn continues to live up to the video. He’s a role model for his classmates, teammates and most importantly to him, his two little sisters.
With a 3.8 grade-point average, Rashad is a member of the National Honor Society and among the top 10 students in his class. He is the highest ranked African American male student, which earned him a scholarship from the Xi Iota chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
“It’s good to know, because I didn’t really know about being the highest ranking African American male,” he said. “But I just try to keep my grades up. I don’t think about the accolades that go with it.”
Rashad is vice president of leadership development for Lima Senior’s DECA chapter. He and partner, senior Mara Zell, just earned another trip back to the state DECA competition. The two compete in Sports and Entertainment Marketing and finished in sixth place at state last year. The top four move onto the international competition.
“My goal is to make it to internationals this year,” he said. “It would be a big deal. We were so close last year.”
Rashad became interested in DECA when a member spoke to his class in the seventh grade. His interest continues to grow, and most recently includes an interest in financing and investing.
“I am always studying up on things that pique my interest and right now that is financing,” he said.
Rashad played linebacker for the Spartan football team and was on the track team last year. He was also in the school play last fall.
Rashad is a student that teachers and other staff often come to for little things they need done in the school: tutoring other students, working in the office. Rashad likes the role.
“It’s nothing big or glamorous, just little parts I can play here,” he said.
Headed to Ohio University, Rashad will major in sports management. Long term, he wants to own an NBA team until he can work his way up to NBA commissioner.
“I love sports but I know I won’t always be an athlete,” he said. “This is a good way to use my intelligence and stay close to sports.”
Rashad believes he is ready for college and beyond thanks to his education and the experiences he has had in the Lima City Schools.
“The Lima City Schools has not just taught me how to be a good student, it has taught me how to be a good person,” he said. “It is the most realistic school in the area. You learn from real-life situations here and I am much better prepared because of it.”