Google Invites Classrooms to Doodle

Today, Google announced this year's U.S. "Doodle 4 Google." The competition invites all K-12 students in the U.S. to design a Google logo inspired by the timely theme, "What I wish for the world." The winning student's doodle will be displayed on the Google homepage on May 21, 2009. The champion "doodler" will also receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for his/her school. This year's competition also includes a $10,000 award to recognize the school district with the greatest quality participation.

This year, Google is partnering with the Smithsonian's, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, a leader in encouraging the next generation of designers and advancing public understanding of design. After the competition concludes, the top 40 regional winners' doodles will be displayed in a national exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt in New York City.

Students' doodles will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, representation of the theme, and other criteria. A panel of independent judges and Google employees will select the top doodles across age groups, from which the public will help select the final four. The grand prize winner will then be selected by Google and announced at an event hosted in New York City on May 20, 2009. The doodle will be featured on the Google homepage the following day.

Last year's winner was Grace Moon, a 6th grader at Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley, CA. Her winning doodle, "Up in the Clouds" was selected from over 16,000 entries submitted from across the country.

The customization of the Google logo started in 1999, and these "doodles" are now designed by a team of Google doodlers, including webmaster Dennis Hwang. The doodle team has creatively depicted worldwide events, anniversaries and holidays with doodles that incorporate the Google logo for the world to celebrate and enjoy.

Teachers can register their class online by going to www.google.com/doodle4google. Registration closes on March 17 and all entries must be postmarked by March 31.