February 23, 2026 will mark the opening of our two annual Student Artist Award programs: the Jean Breaux Award and the Courtney Granger Memorial Award. Although the two awards differ in their audiences, the Courtney Granger Memorial Award focusing on the development of traditional music musicians, they both recognize the importance of young artists in ensuring the continuation and growth of the arts in our community. As we open the doors for new artists to take advantage of these opportunities, let’s look back on our award recipients from 2025-26, celebrating their accomplishments and encouraging them on their ongoing journeys.
A’Myra Menard
A’Myra used her funds to attend Zeitgeist Dance Theatre, a prestigious summer dance workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This was an exciting next step in her career as a dancer, having practiced for almost 10 years with Leigha Porter at FiRE Expressions and attending the ULL Dance Program. Summer workshops like Zeitgeist are not only an opportunity to train under nationally recognized instructors, but a way to make connections with the greater dance community. After Zeitgeist, A’Myra continues to pursue her dance career, recently having performed in Ten Tiny Dances right here in the AcA’s James Devin Moncus Theatre.
Ashtyn Raxsdale
Ashtyn is a talented vocalist and performer who has been performing in community theatre since childhood. She used her Jean Breaux Award funds to attend Cantarode, an international choir competition in the Netherlands. Attending with the Chamber Singers Choir, Cantarode not only gave Ashtyn a life changing experience performing on an international level, but also awakened in her a newfound appreciation for the community building power of performance. As part of the Cantarode competition, Ashtyn and her team performed for many local community audiences, connecting with them through the language of music. Ashtyn dreams of being able to incorporate her passion for art and music into her future career as a Speech Pathologist, showing her peers and clients how integral music can be in therapy.
Emma Zaunbrecher
Emma has performed at the AcA many times with Bluebirds Ballet Academy and is using her award funds to pursue the next step in her career as a dancer by attending the Texas Ballet Theater Summer Internship in Fort Worth, Texas. Not only does this internship provide access to world class training but also offers an opportunity to audition for the company’s professional training program at its completion. Emma took full advantage of this opportunity, auditioning successfully. She will spend the next two years studying with the Texas Ballet Theater, in pursuit of her dream to perform ballet professionally.
Jonas Johnson
Jonas is a high school musician performing beyond his years, sitting as principal chair for such groups as the John Phillip Sousa National Honor Band, USM All South Regional Honor band, and UL Lafayette Tuba/Euph Ensemble in his chosen instrument, the euphonium. This kind of diligence requires a constant desire for improvement, and Jonas is using his award funds to pay for continuing lessons with his two instructors, Dr. Charles Goodman at Louisiana State University and Dr. Benjamin Yates at UL Lafayette. He has also been recently accepted to attend the Louisiana School for Math, Sciences, and the Arts in Nachitoches where he will continue to pursue his musical career. In college, he hopes to study Performance or Music Education, ultimately aiming to perform with the USMC Marine Corps Band.
Elise Riley
Those familiar with the Lafayette traditional music scene might already be aware of Elise Riley. She has been performing locally as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist with her bands Chere Elise and Prends Courage for several years, even performing at Festival Acadiens et Creole. However, Elise is not content to sit on her successes. Elise is using her Courtney Granger Award funds to learn a new instrument, paying for fiddle lessons with David Greely. In honor of the passing of her brother, Cajun musician and community icon Chris Stafford, Elise’s goal is to learn to play all of the traditional instruments she inherited, carrying on Chris’s legacy as a bearer of Cajun culture.
Addyson Broussard
Addyson picked up accordion during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then has developed a passion for traditional music. Training under local musician Kylie Griffin of Poisson Rouge and performing with her student band The Bayou Tigre Steppers, Addyson has shown a talent for performance that matches her enthusiasm. A student in the gifted music program, Addyson plays accordion, guitar, and drums and has also learned to sing in traditional Cajun French. She competes in 4-H talent competitions and also performed at the LMEA All State Competition. Addyson is using her funds to continue to take lessons with her mentor, Kylie Griffin as she further develops her skill set as a Cajun musician.
LEARN MORE!
Submissions for our two Student Artist Awards open on February 23, 2026. More information can be found on our website at acadianacenterforthearts.org
