'Doodle 4 Google' Announced

Google on Tuesday announced its fourth annual contest for children called Doodle 4 Google where participants are invited to submit Google doodles, one of which will be featured on the search engine’s homepage in June.

In addition to having their work on display on probably the most trafficked homepage on the web, Google will also provide a $30,000 college scholarship to the winning doodle, as well as $50,000 to the winner’s school to go toward a technology lab.  

“Before there was an airplane, there were doodles of flying machines, and before there was a submarine, there weredoodles of underwater sea explorers. Ideas big and small, practical and playful, thought-provoking and smile-inducing, have started out as doodles. And we’re ready for more!” the company wrote in a Google Blog post. “Doodle 4 Google is the chance for young artists to think and dream big. Our theme this year, ‘If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place…’ is all about curiosity, possibility and imagination.”

According to the LA Times, Google employees will select 250 of the best doodles in the country, then guest judges (who this year include an astronaut and author Rick Riordan) will select a finalist from each state, each of whom Google will fly out to its Mountain View headquarters for a variety of workshops.

“If you feel like your young artist may need a little nudge to get their creative juices flowing, we’re partnering with Discovery Education to offer videos and activities for teachers and parents as well as a virtual field trip to Google’s headquarters. We’re also offering interactive “Meet the Doodler” Connected Classrooms sessions where kids can meet Google Doodlers, learn about their process from idea to a Doodle, and ask questions along the way,” the company said. 

Google was recently the subject of some controversy over a doodle depicting Harriet Tubman in commemoration of Black History Month. Celebrity Nick Canon argued that the doodle, which showed Tubman wearing a do-rag, was racist. Google declined to take down the image.