While I can’t draw to save my life I recently told one of our designers that my ideal job would be to be a Google doodler. She didn’t look overly impressed by my dream, but clearly I am not the only one with these aspirations. Google has now run several successful Doodle 4 Google competitions worldwide, encouraging children to create special sketches for the search engine.
In fact, Google was recently flooded with thousands of entries for the South African Doodle 4 Google contest after they sent out a call to school children all over the country inviting them to “doodle their dreams for South Africa”. This was done to celebrate 20 years of freedom.
Tembisa Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Deputy Minister of Communications, encouraged this thoughtful gesture by Google, saying, “The entries show how talented our children are. It is good that we have an event like Doodle 4 Google to encourage creativity and imagination among our children.”
Celebrity judges selected their favourite doodles and the public voted for the ultimate winner. The top 20 finalists were whisked off to an awards ceremony in Johannesburg, where the lucky little winning doodlers received Android tablets and Google Play vouchers.
On 3 December the search engine showcased the inspiring artwork of the winning doodler, Katya Ludick, titled My Conservation Dream.
My Conservation Dream, Katya Ludick, Noordheuwel High School in Krugersdorp
Ludick was the winner in the 12 – 14 years category and also left with the overall prize for her hopeful doodle of a South Africa free of poaching.
“In my South African dream, there is no more poaching,” she says. “We must fight for those that can’t speak. Conservation is our future.” The well-thought-out doodle by this inspiring young lady incorporates the South African flag, cleverly focusing on the colours that it has in common with the Google brand. The whimsical shadow of the Google name that reflects on the water during an African sunrise “symbolises 20 years of freedom”, but it also indicates a future full of hope where a country free of poaching is more than a simple dream. Because of Ludick’s efforts her school will receive a R100 000 technology grant from Google.
The other winners in their respective age categories are:
Kayleigh Breytenbach, Sabie Primary School, 6 – 8 years
Zehiye Rahman, Clarendon Preparatory School, 9 – 11 years
Alexandra Wuzyk, Secunda High School, 15 – 17 years
Check out the art of the top 20 finalists to see which one is your favourite.
This creative initiative from Google shows how the internet is changing our lives. It is bringing infinite new possibilities to a new generation. We are using the internet daily in creative ways to unite people and address real issues. It is allowing children to set their imaginations free in a world where careers are no longer limited to the traditional. They can be web designers, application creators, game developers, software engineers, search-engine optimisation specialists, graphic designers and of course Google doodlers. Now if somebody would only let me take part in the doodling!
