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Google has come up with a creative design contest for K – 12 students in the U.S. to work with the Google logo, called the Doodle 4 Google Contest. The idea is for students of any grade level to develop a new logo to be used on the Google search engine webpage for one day. The contest registration date is Mar. 17 with the final entry due on March 31, 2009. The winner will be chosen in May. Google has the complete rules for the contest at this website: Doodle 4 Google

This Doodle 4 Google Contest is exciting because it is open to many students with many different ideas. It encourages creativity because the theme is centered around: “What I Wish for the World.” The prizes are also motivating. They consist of a $15,000 college scholarship to be used at a school of the winner’s choice, a trip to the Google New York Office, a laptop computer, and a t-shirt with the winning logo design printed on it.

There will be finalists chosen at the National, Regional and State levels. The winner’s school also receives a $25,000 technology grant towards upgrading or establishing a computer lab. The reward may just be the recognition from seeing the winning logo being displayed on this popular search engine page.

Today, Monday, March 2, 2009, Google’s page has various Dr. Seuss characters creating the word Google. It is one example of the fun and originality of Google’s logo.

Google is well known for its creativity, its simplicity, its ability to provide a comprehensive search engine and a platform for collaboration.

To encourage teachers to register as many students in the Doodle 4 Google contest as possible, it provides incentives for them to be involved as well. The Smithsonian’s, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in NYC will host an exhibit of the top 40 regional winners’ doodles in their museum in New York City, in order to preserve the art created.

Google wanted to partner with the museum because Doodle 4 Google and Cooper-Hewitt are both leaders in motivating the next generation of designers. Doodle 4 Google is a contest about the connection between art, design and technology.  The museum has worked with kids in teaching them about the importance of design, and with teachers to stress how the design method helps students develop relevant skills. Student need to know how to define problems, communicate in written and other formats, work collaboratively and creatively to solve problems.

At the Doodle 4 Google contest website you will find information on the Google designer, Dennis Hwang. He provides us with how his doodles originated, his favorite doodles, top ten tips and sample doodles. These are very interesting. One of my favorites is called: 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and looks as follows.

In 2008, a sixth grade student, Grace Moon, from Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley, California, won this contest. It’s inspiring to know that she created her logo based on her view of a new, bright, fresh and enlightened world. Her profile and picture are on the Doodle 4 Google contest website.

It’s encouraging to see why Google wanted to put on this Doodle 4 Google contest for students. People with design skills, a vision and creativity will be inspired to try this worthwhile, fun and fantastic contest.