Poplar Bluff, Missouri - On Friday, March 22, Poplar Bluff High School senior Amy Walden received the $72,000 Merit Scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute, where she plans to study animation and digital media.

Walden is pictured displaying one of her latest works in progress, while her art teacher Debbie Dunnegan holds the KCAI award letter. Dunnegan said she has been assigning Walden advanced art projects since her freshman year, helping the talented student build up her portfolio to position herself for this very opportunity.