ST. MARTIN PARISH — Students in St. Martin Parish are stepping into the arts in a whole new way thanks to a new partnership with the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
Fourth grader Jacob Lewis said, “It provides more opportunity for kids and they could learn more and then it introduces them to the real world earlier than expected.”
Students like Jacob are not just watching performances — they are taking part in them. The new program brings professional artists and performers directly into schools, offering music, dance, and theater experiences at no cost to students.
“Bringing in working professional artists and performers from here but also all around really gives them that opportunity to see what's possible for themselves,” said Bree Sargent, education director for the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
Sargent explained that the goal goes beyond performances. At the parish’s STEAM Magnet Academies, students will have the chance to explore creativity while learning core subjects in a positive environment.
Fourth grader Althea Simmons said, “If they didn't have it, you know they could come here and actually do it and then maybe find their own way when they grow up.”
The program includes in-classroom sessions with teaching artists and access to online visual and performing arts lessons. Students said the chance to participate makes the experience even more meaningful.
“It feels cool because I get to watch but I also get to act and you know most people don't really get the chance but if you come over here, it's like you kinda get it,” Jacob said.
Magnet coordinator Jon Downs said the partnership is also about equity and access. He noted that professional development workshops will help educators expand opportunities to every student in the district, regardless of background or school.
“We also wanna expose the rest of our schools in our school system, to this wonderful opportunity that the Acadiana Center for the Arts has,” Downs said.
For students like Althea, the impact is already clear. “It opens up a world of opportunity and a safe space,” she said.
