Google announced the winner of their “Doodle 4 Google” contest yesterday, having received 33,000 entries for the K-12 competition that riffs on the Google logo for their homepage.

9-year-old Mackenzie Melton, who is in the third grade at El Dorado Springs R-2 Schools in El Dorado, Missouri, claimed the top prize. Animation and illustration biggies like Disney, The Sesame Street Workshop, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates and Peanuts and Pixar Animation Studios judged the 40 finalists in the contest, but Mackenzie’s rainforest themed entry won out. She says:

I chose this doodle because the rainforest is in danger and it is not fair to the plants and animals. I love everything except spiders and snakes, but I would still save them.

Mackenzie bagged a $15,000 scholarship, a netbook and a $25,000 tech upgrade for her school. Her creation, rendered in colored pencils, is featured today on Google’s homepage as the Google Doodle. Students in three other categories- Raymundo Marquez of Eagle Pass, Texas, Vance Viggiano of Long Valley, New Jersey, and Bevan Schiffli of Highlands, North Carolina, received netbooks as runners-up in the contest.

Missouri 9-year-old wins ‘Doodle 4 Google’ contest is a post from: The Inquisitr

Christin Engelberth: Doodle 4 Google Winner

Christin Engelberth’s drawing is entitled “A New Beginning.” She says it’s meant to “express her wish that ‘out of the current crisis, discoveries will be found to help the Earth prosper once more.’”

Here’s one wish come true: For her winning entry, Engelberth will receive a $15,000 college scholarship and a laptop, in addition to having her work on display for the whole world to see. Her school will also get a $25,000 technology grant.

Christin Engelberth is joined by three Doodle 4 Google national finalists who will each receive a new laptop: Miriam Elizabeth Lowery from Covington, Tenn., Blakely Linz from Cincinnati, and Emerald Lu, from Covington, Ky.

The top Doodle 4 Google entries will all be displayed at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum from now until July 5.

Christin Engelberth Wins Doodle 4 Google is a post from: The Inquisitr

Doodle 4 Google: The Specifics

This year’s Doodle 4 Google contest is based on the theme “What I Wish for the World.” The Google team wants participants to create a logo that shows their vision for their future.

The Doodle 4 Google contest is limited to only students from registered schools. (Only teachers or other school employees can register a school. Registration takes place at the official Doodle 4 Google site here.) The deadline for school registrations is March 17, 2009. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2009.

Doodle 4 Google: The Prizes

This year’s Doodle 4 Google winner will receive a college scholarship worth $15,000 and will have his or her logo displayed on the home page of Google. The school district that submits that highest number of entries deemed to be “high-quality” will get $10,000. The 40 finalists will have their designs exhibited at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City from May 21 through July 5, 2009.

Doodle 4 Google: Useful Links

Here are some links that may be useful for learning more about the Doodle 4 Google competition:

• Register your school now
• Info for schools
• Judging and prizes
• Doodle History

Good luck!

Doodle 4 Google: Design a Google Logo, Win $15,000 is a post from: The Inquisitr