ZACHARY -- Zachary High School students part of an advanced art program in their school system called the Talented Arts Program have gotten a tremendous opportunity. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum in downtown Baton Rouge is showcasing works from local schools in its gallery, and Zachary High is one of them.

It's in an area of the museum called The STEAM Gallery. The STEAM Gallery is an opportunity for the museum to showcase the talent that young aspiring artists in the community have created.

"Keidrick Alford from the Louisiana Science and Art Museum contacted me to see and meet the students and look at their artwork," Zachary High's Talented Arts teacher Lauren Conerly said.

In order to get into the Talented Arts Program in the Zachary school system, a student will have to test for it.

"They give you a picture and then you have to draw it to your best ability and it's like multiple different things honestly," Zachary Sophomore Carlynn Vessel said.

There are about 70 Zachary high school students in the Talented Arts Program. Some of the students tested into it from high school, while others tested in elementary school. One student even did so in kindergarten.

"I first joined in fourth grade. I was suggested by my art teacher. She saw that I knew a lot of complex shapes at like such a lower level," Zachary sophomore Journi Davis said.

The museum looked at pieces from the Talented Arts Program students and narrowed it down to 18 pieces from 16 of the students to be in the museum. These art pieces will be up in the gallery until March 2026.

The gallery, which has been showcasing the talents of young artists for three years now, features paintings, photography, self-portraits, and even a sculpture.

"It is a picture of the beach, so when I found this picture that I took for my mom last year, it was just amazing that you know, a picture that I took a year ago, and thought nothing of it, is now in the museum," Zachary senior Courtney Tate said.

The students were asked what they enjoyed most about art. One reason came up often.

"The freedom to express, you know I've made a lot of different pieces over the years. I'm into many different things. I like realism, I like anime. I like cartoons, and art has given me an opportunity to kind of do all of them," Zachary junior John Varmall said.

Each says they've made a lot of new friends in the program and are motivated to be around others who share the same passion.

"I very much believe that anybody who's starting in art should try out every single medium because I've tried out mediums that I thought I would hate and I love them," Zachary junior Macey Ray said.

"It's very encouraging. I agree that I would've never experimented with certain mediums or tried certain portraits if I'd never been around peers that would encourage that," Zachary senior Amelia Concienne added.

There are also pieces from students of Central High School and Westdale Middle School in the STEAM Gallery.