Southeast Missouri State University will host the 36th annual high school art exhibition, "Exhibiting Excellence," from Feb. 9 through March 16, university officials announced.

The exhibition, which will be on display at the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum on the university's River Campus, will showcase the talents of junior and senior high school students from southern Illinois and southeast Missouri.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 9.

"Awards in sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, mixed media, photography, fibers, drawing, painting, the Art Academy and Best of Show will be presented," university officials said in a statement. "The Art Academy Award will be given to a junior for outstanding work; this junior will receive a scholarship to attend one of the University's summer Art Academy workshops."

The Best of Show recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University as an art major.

The judge for this year's event will be Jennifer Meroe Kennedy of Pomona, Ill., a substitute teacher in the Unity Point School District #140, Carbondale School District #95 and Carbondale Community High School, according to the university.

Kennedy, who holds a Master of Arts in Teaching in art education from Webster University and a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, juried the Shawnee Community College High School Art Show last year and is a freelance illustrator for "The Wonderful Ride By Esther Claussen 2012."

She has also taught professional development workshops on arts integration for Meridian Elementary School for the past two years and she is a member of the National Art Education Association, the Illinois Art Education Association and the National Education Association.

The Crisp Museum is located in the Cultural Arts Center at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, located at 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau, Mo.