Google announced its annual Doodle 4 Google competition on 3 February 2009. The prize for the winner is an astounding $15 000-college scholarship at the school of his or her choice.
What is Doodle 4 Google
A Doodle is a variation of the Google official logo. Google commemorates special days by adding graphics to the existing logo depicting the essense of the special birthday or holiday. The home page of Google will for instance sport a logo with a Christmas theme on 25 December or an Easter theme during Easter weekend.
Doodle 4 Google is an annual competition launched by Google and it challenges children from the US to play around with their home page logo in order to design the best logo according to the theme 'What I wish for the World'. Participants must re-design the logo to describe their wish for the World.
How to Enter the Doodle 4 Google Competition
Any student in US schools, including home school and private schools, between Kindergarten and Grade 12 may enter. Only teachers may register Doodles on behalf of the students. A completed entry form, a signed parental consent form and the Doodle of the entrant must accompany each entry. Teachers have to submit the doodle with a title and a statement explaining how the doodle relates to the theme of the contest.
Schools may enter up to six entries to the competition and home schoolteachers may enter two students into the competition.
All the required registration forms are available on the Official Doodle 4 Google web site, but contestants must mail their entries to the following address:
Doodle 4 Google Competition
PO Box 1379
Grand Rapids, MN 55745-1379
Judging will take place on the doodles (drawings) in the following categories:
- Kindergarten - Grade 3
- Grade 4 - Grade 6
- Grade 7 - Grade 9
- Grade 10 - Grade 12
To participate in the competition, schools must register before 17 March 2009 and entries by 31 March 2009.
Prizes in the Doodle 4 Google Competition
The overall winner will receive a scholarship of $15 000 to attend a school of his or her choice, a trip to Google New York office, a laptop and a t-shirt printed with the winning doodle. The winners school will also receive a $25 000 grant to improve technology in the school.
The three national winners receive a trip to Google New York office, a laptop and a t-shirt printed with their doodle. Each of the other 36 regional winners will receive a trip to the Google New York office and a t-shirt printed with their doodle. State finalists will receive a 'Doodle 4 Google' official winner certificate.
Why Should Parents and Teachers Allow Students to Enter
Students spent hours each day surfing the internet, chatting to friends on instant messaging services and playing video and computer games. None of these activities stimulates them to think creatively. The playgrounds are mostly empty and children are forgetting how to play.
This competition gives students the opportunity to tap into their own creativity and use resources independent of modern technology while still contributing to the internet they know so well.
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