NEW YORK, NY.- The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum today announced its partnership with Google on an exhibition of this year’s U.S. “Doodle 4 Google” design competition winner and finalists. The “Doodle 4 Google” design competition invites K-12 students from across the country to think like designers, using Google’s iconic logo to convey their hopes and dreams inspired by the theme, “If I Could Do Anything, I Would...” On May 27, the winning student’s design will be the doodle of the day on the Google.com home page. The top four National Winners from each grade group along with the 36 Regional Finalists’ designs will be featured in the exhibition from May 27 through July 8. The exhibition will focus on the creative nature of the design process and will include educational programs for teachers and students.
“The ‘Doodle 4 Google’ competition offers children a unique and creative learning experience in the classroom and an opportunity to share their vision of what they would do in the world, if bounded only by their imaginations,” said Marissa Mayer, vice president of search products and user experience at Google. “As a leader in design education, we are pleased to be working with the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum again for this year’s competition.”
“Cooper-Hewitt’s dynamic educational programs provide insight into the ways in which design shapes our lives every day,” said Caroline Payson, director of education at the museum. “The ‘Doodle 4 Google’ competition engages students and teachers in the design process and helps to develop 21st-century skills.”
Students’ designs will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, representation of the theme and other criteria. Representatives from Google and Cooper-Hewitt will select the top doodles across age groups, from which the public will help select the final four designs. This year, the judging will also be aided by a group of highly esteemed expert jurors, including: Paige Braddock, Charles M. Schulz/Peanuts Creative Associates; Susan Brandt, Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P.; Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Frank Caruso, King Features (Betty Boop and Popeye comics); Karen Driscoll, Sesame Workshop; Ryan Heuser, Paul Frank Industries; Jim Lee, Wildstorm Studios (Batman and Robin, Superman comics); Bob Pauley, Pixar Animation Studios; and Evelyn Viohl, Barbie-Mattel.
The grand-prize winner will be announced at an event hosted at the Google New York office May 26 and the winning doodle will be displayed on the Google.com home page May 27. Courtesy of Google, the champion “doodler” will also receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for the student’s school. This year’s competition also includes eight Extra Credit: Technology Booster Awards that consist of netbook computers for schools who submit the maximum amount of doodles by March 10 and have a student who is one of the 400 State Finalists.
The exhibition “Doodle 4 Google: If I Could Do Anything, I Would…” will be on view in the Target National Design Education Center at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Accompanying educational programs for children include a drop-in design workshop with one of the Google doodlers, a logo design workshop and a program on monograms and embroidery. A special graphic design workshop will also be offered for educators, featuring tips and resources on how to incorporate design thinking into their classrooms.
The customization of the Google logo started in 1999, and the doodles are created by a team of Google designers, including webmaster Dennis Hwang. The doodle team has creatively depicted worldwide events, anniversaries and holidays with doodles that incorporate the Google logo.
Teachers may register their class online by going to www.google.com/doodle4google. Registration closes March 17, and all entries must be postmarked by March 31, 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Further information, competition details, videos and past doodles contests are also available at www.google.com/doodle4google. Image files of past Google doodles and materials from last year’s competition are available at www.google.com/doodle4google/press.html.
