Teaching Artist Program

AcA provides Teaching Artist services to schools in:

 

  • Lafayette Parish

  • St. Landry Parish

  • Vermilion Parish

AcA’s Teaching Artist Program provides the opportunity for your students to experience a broad range of art forms and innovative arts activities in your classroom.

Music, dance, creative writing, visual arts, storytelling and folk arts are all available for you to consider. Each of the sessions are designed and led by a local Teaching Artist. The arts can be integrated with all areas of the curriculum and are proven to enhance student learning.

Invite a Teaching Artist to your classroom and experience the arts as powerful teaching, learning and motivation tools!

Ask your school’s arts liaison about securing one of these allocated sessions. 

MEET THE TEACHING ARTISTS

Joli Noel

Joli Noel

Joli Noel graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in Choreographic Design. Over the last 22 years she has gained experience in teaching various forms of art--mainly visual art & creative movement to all ages....

Jennifer Herbert

Jennifer Herbert

Jennifer Herbert is a mixed media artist that has a love for creating art from discorded books. She creates altered books, soul collages, prompt guided art and paper collages. Jennifer is a teaching artist in the PACE program and has shared her passion for art through...

LouSea

LouSea

Lousea is a full-time mixed media artist from Lafayette, La. Her body of work digs deeply into nature-inspired art based in self-love. She dabbles in alternative photographic processes, graphic design, machine and hand embroidery, painting, drawing, printmaking,...

Paula Calderon

Paula Calderon

Visionary and creative artist born in Colombia, South America. Paula holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial design. Over 20 years of experience as a professional ballet dancer have given her the tools to become an entrepreneur in costume and stage design and...

Brandy Roy

Brandy Roy

Brandy Milliman Roy graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelor's degree in Art Education and was named "Outstanding Education Student '' of her class. She now resides in Broussard, Louisiana with her husband, son, and two dogs. When she's...

Christy Marie Lush

Christy Marie Lush

Christy Marie Lush is a ceramic artist that has taught with PACE for 3 years. She also teaches pottery wheel classes and private lessons. She received her BFA degree from UL Lafayette in 2007. Christy has a unique talent for encouraging young artists to reach their...

Chad Huval, PhD

Chad Huval, PhD

Chad Huval, PhD from Texas A&M and research at MIT, is an accomplished accordion player and innovator. He has written an unpublished book about how to play the diatonic accordion in the Cajun and Creole style. He has deeply researched the early roots of French...

Dollie Eaglin

Dollie Eaglin

Mrs. Dollie Eaglin received her BFA at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and an MA at the University of Houston/Clear Lake City in Choreographic Design and Dance Arts Integration. Dollie Eaglin retired as a full-time Arts Educator/Creative Movement Specialist...

Terrance Michael Morgan

Terrance Michael Morgan

Born and raised in Louisiana, he is on a mission to improve the lives of today’s youth by promoting positive youth development through the act of art, dance, speaking and more. Morgan began as a self-taught dancer doing mostly free-style (improvisation) where he was...

Connie Boustany

Connie Boustany

Connie Boustany graduated from Acadiana High School in 1974, and University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1978. She was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in General Home Economics with an emphasis in Social Welfare and a minor in Sociology. As a Home Economist and...

Jude Romero

Jude Romero

Originally from New Iberia, Jude is an original member and founder of Kabuki Kru and its performance counterpart, Kabuki Dancers. He has over 20 years of Hip-Hop dance experience, performing and competing across the nation with a focus on Breakdancing. His passion for...

Ashton Eckholdt

Ashton Eckholdt

Ashton Eckholdt is a graphic designer and artist from Eunice, Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Ashton now works as a freelance graphic designer, while also honing her artistic talents as a painter and exploring...

Lee Ann Broussard

Lee Ann Broussard

Lee Ann Broussard has had a 50 year career in the field of communications and public relations in the music and health care industry. Currently, Lee Ann is a member of the Recording Academy (Grammys). Her very first year she was able to submit the music of and get...

Sam Wróbel

Sam Wróbel

Sam Wróbel is a papercutting artist based in SW Louisiana, specializing in the Polish folk art of wycinanki. Sam grew up in the Chicago area, where they learned wycinanki from artist Doris Sikorsky. Together they received two Master/Apprentice grants in Ethnic Art...

Hannah Dronet

Hannah Dronet

Hannah Dronet is a local artist that grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, and participated in the ACA's PACE program when she was in second grade. She graduated with a Bachelor of Industrial Design from UL Lafayette and is a professional product designer, as well as a...

Veronica Cho

Veronica Cho

New to the Lafayette area, Veronica is excited to be involved in the Acadiana region’s arts community! Veronica is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she received her BFA in fine arts and fashion design. Her...

Lydia Young-Green

Lydia Young-Green

Born and raised in Acadiana, Lydia Young-Green is an accomplished dancer, teacher and choreographer. She graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts focusing on dance. Currently, Lydia is a graduate student...

Laurie Becker

Laurie Becker

Lauralee "Laurie" Becker was born and raised in Acadiana where she has been creating art and teaching for the last 26 years. She is experienced in teaching grades 1-8, private lessons locally to children and adults along with hosting and assisting summer camps. Laurie...

Rachel Nederveld

Rachel Nederveld

Rachel Nederveld is an independent producer and audio storyteller based in Lafayette, LA. Her films have premiered at Sundance, TIFF, Tribeca, SXSW, and more and have been supported by Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation, SFFILM, Points North, IDFA, Sheffield Doc,...

Ado Soul

Ado Soul

ADO SOUL is an award-winning vocalist and unforgettable soulful singer with gospel roots, known for his iconic growl that captivates audiences worldwide. Featured as Essence Magazine's "New & Next Artist," ADO has graced stages at prestigious events such as...

Kelsey Billiot

Kelsey Billiot

Kelsey Billiot has been teaching in classrooms around Lafayette Parish with the PACE program since 2015. As a teaching artist, she crafts creative movement lessons that include arts integration, social emotional learning skills, and curriculum connections. Through...

Theresa Singleton

Theresa Singleton

Theresa Singleton has been an educator for over 30 years. As a retired librarian, she enjoys using her creative talents to foster the love of reading and the Arts in young minds. The author of four children’s books, Theresa has penned stories rich with Louisiana...

Sasha Nick

Sasha Nick

Sasha Nick has been a Teaching Artist in the PACE program for over 15 years and continues to find the experience rewarding. Her teaching skills and style are attributed to the training and support received through the PACE program and the Montessori Method. She brings...

Roz Fisher

Roz Fisher

Roz Fisher has been a PACE Teaching Artist in Lafayette Parish Schools for the past 20 years and has been on the Teaching Artist roster for some of those years. Roz teaches PACE classes in Lafayette and Vermillion parish. She has presented several Workshops for...

Lily Marcus

Lily Marcus

Lily is a dance teacher and choreographer throughout the entire Acadiana region. She grew up in Florida where she first fell in love with dance, and has continued to develop that love throughout her life. Lily graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette...

Jeremy Benoit

Jeremy Benoit

Smooth jazz saxophonist, Jeremy Benoit, better known as “JB Saax” is a lifelong resident of Lafayette, LA.  He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette earning his bachelor of the arts degree in communications. He has performed all over the state of...

Jan Fontenot

Jan Fontenot

Jan Fontenot is an artist who lives in the Grand Prairie area and also teaches part time at a local high school.  She loves to get children involved in all types of art making especially to those who do not have the opportunity or resources to do so.

Denise Gallagher

Denise Gallagher

Denise Gallagher is an accomplished artist, author and illustrator. Her artwork is unique and mysterious, drawing inspiration from mythology, nature and her Louisiana home. Her illustrations have graced children’s books, packaging and festival posters. She was the...

Audrey Broussard

Audrey Broussard

Audrey Marie is a singer-songwriter from Lafayette, Louisiana who started recording original music at 14. Writing songs using guitar, piano, and organ, her genre can be described as indie folk, indie pop, and alternative country. She’s taught music lessons for 6 years...

Andrea Kapell Loewy

Andrea Kapell Loewy

Andrea Kapell Loewy is Principal Flutist of the Acadiana Symphony and has played several concertos with the orchestra.  Other orchestral work includes Principal Flute of the Orchestra of the State of Mexico,  and Guest Principal Flutist of the Shanghai Symphony. She...

Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson

Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson

Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson is the founder and leader of the spoken word organization Lyrically Inclined, where she can be seen live monthly in Lafayette, Louisiana. As a teaching artist, PoeticSoul works to expose children in rural areas to literary arts. She organizes...

Melissa Mark

Melissa Mark

Teaching Artist Melissa Begnaud Mark, a country gal from Scott, Louisiana, has been heavily engaged in the creative process of sharing her love of visual art with her students . It all started in 1997 when she took her first drawing class with Elmore Morgan at the...

Diane Baker

Diane Baker

Diane is an award winning graphic designer and illustrator who has worked for several different environmental agencies over the years. Working with scientists she has created illustrations and designs for booklets, covers, posters, exhibits, maps and more. Along the...

Melissa Pendrey

Melissa Pendrey

Hi! My name is Melissa and I love to draw! I paint as well but drawing is at the heart of it all for me. It all started when I was young; I'd draw on the white wash walls of my bedroom in Palm Beach. Though 30 years have passed since then, the act of mark-making still...

Become a Teaching Artist

The Teaching Artist Program provides the opportunity for students to experience a broad range of arts activities in the classroom.

Working in partnership with the Lafayette Parish School System, St. Landry Parish Public Schools, and Vermilion Parish School System, the program places artists directly into the classroom.

Each session is designed and led by AcA’s teaching artists.