The LSU School of Art, in conjunction with the LSU College of Art & Design and the LSU School of Architecture, hosted the first annual statewide juried exhibition for high school artists. The exhibition was held from March 9–19 at the Foster Gallery on the LSU campus. All public, private, and home-schooled high school students residing in Louisiana qualified for submission, with the exception of East Baton Rouge Parish residents who were eligible to enter the Baton Rouge Gallery competition.

Competition winners were announced at a reception held at the Foster Gallery on Saturday, March 14. Victoria Maxwell, a sophomore at Fontainebleau High School in Mandeville, Louisiana, received first place for aMazing Hedge Hog. Danielle Broussard, a junior at Episcopal School of Acadiana in Broussard, Louisiana, received second place, and third place went to Carter Broussard, a senior at Episcopal School of Acadiana in Broussard, Louisiana.

Five honorable mentions were awarded to:

• Freshman Tiffany LeBlanc of Catholic High School of New Iberia for Who Do You Trust?;
• Senior Savannah Berube of Fontainebleau High School in Mandeville, Louisiana, for Self Portrait II;
• Sophomore Elsa Ramsey of Episcopal School of Acadiana in Broussard, Louisiana;
• “Mother and Child in the Savannah,” by senior Veronica Mialaret of Fontainebleau High School in Mandeville, Louisiana, for Mother and Child in the Savannah; and
• Sophomore Nicholas Lee of Brusly High School in Plaquemine, Louisiana, for Back through the Looking Glass.

The LSU School of Art received 136 entries from 17 Louisiana high schools, representing all major cities and regions of the state. Rod Parker, the director of the School of Art, felt that the competition had a very successful debut and added that the next two iterations of this event are already being planned.