If you’re a K-12 student (or know one), it’s time to get cracking on the third annual Doodle 4 Google (News - Alert) competition, starting now, to create a Google doodle inspired by the theme, “If I Could Do Anything, I Would . . .” You have until March 31.
Oh, and avoid the “world peace” theme. You won’t be the first to think of it.
A “doodle,” Google officials say, is “the logo design that appears on the Google homepage periodically to celebrate special events, holidays, or the lives of artists and inventors.”
And if you’re not a K-12 student, just stay out, okay? Honestly. There are genuine kids who are going to genuinely try their hardest at this, put in a lot of time and work, and if you’re one of those graspers who does your kids’ work for them and lets them sign their name on it, stay out of this one.
Go to www.google.com/doodle4google to register your school and read all the fine print. Me, I’d probably avoid any doodles including an iPhone (News - Alert) as well. And you might want to stay away from, oh, a China theme.
New to this year’s competition is the addition of expert jurors, such as Eric Carle, the creator of the “Very Hungry Caterpillar,” who will help determine the top 40 Regional Finalists.
According to Google officials other “expert jurors” will include “well known illustrators, cartoonists and animators like Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Sesame Workshop, DC Comics (creators of Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman), King Features: Popeye and Betty Boop, Charles Schulz’s PEANUTS, Paul Frank Industries, Barbie-Mattel and Pixar Animation Studios who are the creators of Toy Story 3.”
All schools in the United States, including private schools and home-based schools, will need to register to have the chance to participate. ”Students’ doodles will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, representation of the theme, and other criteria,” Google officials said, explaining that a panel of Google employees will select the 400 State Finalists, and the Expert Jurors will select the top 40 Regional Finalists.
And you the public will help select the four national finalists: “The one National Winner will be selected by Google executives and will be announced at an event held in the Google New York office on May 26, 2010.” More information can be found on the Doodle 4 Google Web site:
The fact that this year’s winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship, laptop, T-shirt with the doodle on it and other cool stuff does not leave us optimistic that some parents won’t cheat and “help” their kids create a doodle, but if there’s any karma in the world such cheaters won’t win.
David Sims is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of David’s articles, please visit his columnist page. He also blogs for TMCnet here.Edited by Marisa Torrieri