Ella Luter ’22 Leads by Example in Service, Sports, and Art

Ella was among the 23 high school girls honored as a Girl Who Means Business by the Memphis Business Journal for exemplary academic and extracurricular achievements and community involvement.
Ella Luter ’22 makes everyone she meets feel comfortable, valued, and seen. Her love for the people around her, whether she knows them or not, is what motivates her to lead and make a difference. Forming relationships and learning about people and their different experiences and perspectives are the favorite parts of community service for the president of the Service Learning Council, who is also an award-winning artist and three-year captain of the varsity lacrosse team. 

Ella’s commitment to her community is one of the many reasons why she is being honored as a Memphis Business Journal Girl Who Means Business. Ella is also a high achiever in the classroom and will attend the University of Virginia in the fall as a pre-med student. Hutchison college counselor Mackenzie Daniel described Ella as responsible, self-reliable, and authentic: “she has grit and an innate ability to motivate herself.”

Ella has attended Hutchison since fifth grade after her family moved from Dallas, but the school was not completely new to her. Her mother, Allison Thompson Luter ’91, is a Hutchison alumna. Ella said the adjustment was easier because Hutchison gave her a community right away. She also fell in love with Memphis, and she has served the city in a variety of ways, which includes coaching a youth soccer team through Second Presbyterian Church, baking with children who attend and live at Binghampton Christian Academy, and leading a bible study for and mentoring Hutchison middle school girls. Her goal as the Service Learning Council president is to help Hutchison girls recognize their impact as they serve.

“As a community leader, Ella cares about positively impacting her school and the greater Memphis area,” Daniel said.

Ella has grown as an athlete at Hutchison. She has played soccer since she was three and started playing lacrosse in high school, which would not have happened without a push from Coach David Gearhardt. He saw her playing basketball in eighth grade and asked if she would try lacrosse. Now, she is grateful that he scouted her. Ella said playing lacrosse has helped her develop confidence and perseverance.


In addition to playing lacrosse at Hutchison, Ella has also played club lacrosse for Sky Walkers Lacrosse in Maryland.

“Being able to see progress in my time as a lacrosse player has been super rewarding because it’s allowed me to understand that I can do anything I put my mind to,” Ella said.

This includes art. Ella recently won a Mid-South Scholastic Art Jewelry Award, and her work was displayed at the Brooks Museum. As a talented artist who has taken Hutchison’s highest level of classes, Ella’s skills range from painting to jewelry crafting to embroidery. She is taking AP Sculpture this year and took AP Drawing last year. She said Hutchison’s art teachers have challenged her over the years.

Ella Luter made all of the chains by hand for her award-winning piece, "Our Botanical Life and Death."

“I credit all of my artistic success to Hutchison because I've had some great teachers that have furthered my skills, exposed me to other skills, and kept me engaged,” Ella said.

Despite Ella’s many talents, an important trait to note is that she remains humble, according to Daniel. Ella said she has been surrounded by many people at Hutchison who have helped her succeed. She is thankful for all of the opportunities Hutchison has provided and the people who have guided her along the way. Congratulations to Ella and all the Girls Who Mean Business! Ella will network with leading businesswomen in the Memphis area as well as be recognized during an awards ceremony at the University of Memphis in April.
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