Update 6/17/2020: Because of the current shelter-in-place regulations tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest has not yet been judged. When it is safe to resume business, Google will determine and contact winners.

The WTMS graphic design students are participating in the Google for Doodle contest this February.  Ms. Glatz’s class has done the contest in previous years.  She’s hoping that this year will be the first year they win the contest and that the students are able to earn valuable experience from the contest.

“Now’s their chance,” commented Ms. Glatz, ” to take what they’ve learned and determine what will work best for what they’re trying to convey. ”

The Google for Doodle contest is a graphic contest which allows participants to create a specialized logo for Google’s home page.  The participants of the contest were given the theme of “I show kindness by…” and had to create a logo that encompasses the theme.

“Mine was about helping the earth,” said 8th grade graphic design student Senaia Cohen about her project, “ and basically showing your kindness.”

The contest has state winners and a nationwide winner.  There will be a nationwide online vote for the national winner.  A panel of judges will decide the winners for the state wide competitions.  The only judge confirmed for the panel was the National Teacher of the Year.  The judges will be focusing on aspects such as creativity and if the doodle matches the theme.

“I’ve seen [kindness] by seeing people help pick up books,” said Cohen, “and like, just being able to talk about one another about things.”

State winners receive Google merchandise and have their work featured on the Google website.  The nationwide winner will get their work featured on the Google homepage in place of the familiar Google logo, along with a $30,000 scholarship and a trip to Google headquarters in California to view them as they put the doodle on the homepage.  The school will also receive a technology grant from the company. The winners of the contest are set to be announced around May.

“My favorite part was thinking [about] and how I was going to show my kindness throughout the art,” said Cohen.

Ms. Glatz hopes that the contest will help her students learn to adapt to creating something for a client and mixing their own preferences and personality while still meeting the set of requirements provided.  Her students will be using the digital drawing program Illustrator in order to make their vision come to life.

“It’s fun to see, to be able to design something that you can envision on a search engine you use everyday,” said Ms. Glatz.