K-12 students, this is your chance to draw a Google Doodle. The topic: If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place … In addition to winning a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 grant for your school, you get to work with a team at Google to bring your doodle to life. It’s the 2014 Doodle 4 Google competition.
aNewDomain.net — If I could invent one thing that would make the world a better place, what would it be? If you’re in grades K through 12, and you could invent one thing that would make the world a better place, you could win a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 grant for your school. You would also get to work with a team at Google to bring your doodle to life. For a chance to win, students need to enter the
Doodle 4 Google competition.
Google doodles — those artsy, sometimes-cryptic pieces of art in place of the standard Google logo have been around since 1998, when Google put a
stick figure representing Burning Man behind the second “o.” Since then, Google has posted more than 2,000 doodles on its home pages around the world. Many countries develop their own custom Google logos to reflect cultural achievement and memorials.
Since 2008, Google has allowed school children to contribute doodles to the most-visited homepage on the Internet. Here, for example, is the 2013 winner from the United States. Nothing cryptic about this graphic. In the U.S. Google will choose 250 state finalists, 50 state winners, five national finalists, and finally, one competition winner.
The Doodle 4 Google
judges are comprised of authors, designers, developers, a model and an astronaut.
Previous themes have been:
- My best day ever …
- If I could travel in time, I’d visit …
- If I could do anything, I would …
- What I wish for the world …
- What if …
Students must have teachers or parents submit their entry, and home schoolers may participate. On the form you’re allowed a 50-word description to explain the doodle. Only one entry per student. Entries sent after the first entry will not be discarded.
Entrants must submit their doodle on the Google form found here. You’ll have to use a real pen and paper. Of course, you can invent your object with Photoshop and your tablet and print that out on their form. In fact, I’d expect the more-savvy entrants to do this.
You can submit online or mail in your submission to Doodle 4 Google, P.O. Box 510006, New Berlin, WI 53151.
And hey, if you’re not a student but have a great idea for a doodle, the doodle team says they’re always looking for new ideas. You can email your doodle to proposals@google.com.
Here is every Google Doodle ever made.
For aNewDomain.net, I’m Dino Londis.
Based in New York, Dino Londis is a senior commentator at aNewDomain.net. He’s also an IT Pro alum at National Lampoon and teamBYTE. Email him at Dino@aNewDomain.net.
