Doodle 4 Google top 20 announced

Google has revealed the Kiwi school students whose Google ‘doodles’ have made the top 20 in NZ’s first ever Doodle 4 Google competition, proudly supported by the Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa.

Google called for entries from every primary, intermediate and secondary school in NZ, challenging students from years one through 10 to design a Google ‘doodle’ inspired by the theme ‘My New Zealand’.

The winning doodle will appear on the Google.co.nz homepage for one day in 2010, to be viewed by millions of users.

Google’s Annie Baxter says, “Thousands of entries were received from more than 600 schools across NZ – 100 finalists were selected on the basis of artistic merit, creativity, and how well the theme of ‘My New Zealand’ was communicated.

“We then invited our judges, Te Papa’s Curator of Contemporary Art Charlotte Huddleston, Huffer founder Steve Dunstan and Erin Simpson, host of TV2’s The Erin Simpson Show, to come together at Te Papa’s amazing multimedia room Our Space to select the top 20.

“We are enormously impressed at the calibre of the final 20 entries and can’t wait to see what NZ thinks now that we’re open for public voting.”

The top 20 entries can be viewed at www.google.co.nz/doodle4google/ where the public can vote for their favourite to find the four age group winners.

Visitors to Te Papa can also view the top 20 doodles in Our Space as well as on the giant Our Space TelstraClear Screen on the outside of the complex next to Te Papa’s main entrance.

All students in the top 20 will be flown to the grand final event, to be held in Wellington on 5th November, where Dennis Hwang, Google’s original Doodler, will select the overall winner whose design will appear at www.google.co.nz

2009 Doodle 4 Google NZ finalists:

• Amelia Abbott, Hampden Street School, Nelson (years 1-3).

• Umut Baro, Summerland Primary, Henderson, Auckland (years 1-3).

• Thomas Wellington, Churton Park School, Wellington (years 1-3).

• Harrison Dykes, Heddon Bush School, Southland (years 1-3).

• Abigail Sadlier, Awapuni School, Palmerston North (years 4-6).

• Zachary Helm, Balmoral School, Auckland (years 4-6).

• Atalya Fakavamoeanga, Coastal Taranaki School, Okato, Taranaki (years 4-6).

• Samantha Waters, Whenuapai School, Whenuapai (years 4-6).

• Meg Robinson, St Thomas’s School, Kohimarama, Auckland (years 7-8).

• Havannah Pearson, Pukekohe Intermediate, Pukekohe (years 7-8).

• Harry Hartley, Paraparaumu Beach School, Paraparaumu (years 7-8).

• Andrei Golovko, Kirkwood Intermediate, Christchurch (years 7-8).

• Sophie Arnold, Fairfield Intermediate School, Hamilton (years 7-8).

• Jordan Earl, Heretaunga Intermediate, Hawkes Bay (years 7-8).

• Olivier Bartolomei, Cashmere High School, Christchurch (years 9-10).

• Ashley Brown, James Hargest College, Invercargill (years 9-10).

• Emily Fountain, Epsom Girls Grammar, Auckland (years 9-10).

• Tanisha Dyer, Motueka High School, Motueka (years 9-10).

• Molly Ploeg, Immanuel Christian School, Auckland (years 9-10).

• Emily Chin, Onslow College, Wellington (years 9-10).