Ready for takeoff: Meet the Doodle for Google national finalists
This January, we kicked off the 11th year of Doodle for Google, our annual art contest for students across the country. We challenged kids across the U.S. to create a visual interpretation of this year’s theme: “When I grow up, I hope…” And it’s clear this year’s students have a lot of hopes, whether it’s becoming a cartoonist, growing your own food or simply never growing up.
In the beginning of June, we asked you to help us judge this year’s state and territory winners’ Doodles, and after a million public votes, we’re ready to introduce our five national finalists, one from each grade group. Meet these talented students and learn about their hopes, how they come up with their Doodle and what age they think they will be when they are “grown up.”
Natalia Pepe, Grade Group K-3
Hometown: Cheshire, Connecticut
Doodle Title: Farmers
How did you come up with the idea for your Doodle? I was inspired by my town of Cheshire, Connecticut, where there are a lot of farms and orchards, and where a lot of people have gardens to grow their own food. I thought that if there were more of this in the world, people would be healthier and it would be better for the planet. Plus, it's just really cool to see things grow!
What else do you like to draw and doodle for fun? I like drawing little monsters and all kinds of dogs. I especially like drawing comics and illustrating fun stories.
What age do you think you'll be when you're officially a "grownup?" I think that I will officially be a grownup when I am 20 years old, because this is the age when I will be out of my teens. That's not for a long time!
Amadys Lopez Velasquez, Grade Group 4-5
Hometown: Dorado, Puerto Rico
Doodle Title: When I Grow Up, I Hope… ¡Que Todos Seamos Niños Otra Vez!
How did you come up with the idea for your Doodle? My family always tells me to enjoy my childhood. That adults would like to be children again. It's funny and weird but it seems like the key to happiness.
What else do you like to draw and doodle for fun? I like to have fun drawing animals and my pets, and then transform them by drawing as if they were human.
What's your favorite thing to learn about in school, and why? My favorite thing to learn is history because I like to know interesting facts about my country and other parts of the world. It is like traveling in time and being able to know the past and understand the things of the present.
Christelle Matildo, Grade Group 6-7
Hometown: Lancaster, Texas
Doodle Title: A Hopeful Future
How did you come up with the idea for your Doodle? I came up with the idea of my Doodle from current issues and topics that stand out the most to me.
What else do you like to draw and doodle for fun? I like to draw mostly dragons for fun. Sometimes I draw made-up creatures because I think they look cool in my imagination.
What age do you think you'll be when you're officially a "grownup?" I think I'll officially be a "grownup" at the age of 18. I can act like or be a grownup, but my "official title" isn't there yet.
Jeremy Henskens, Grade Group 8-9
Hometown: Burlington, New Jersey
Doodle Title: Cartooning Doodle
How did you come up with the idea for your Doodle? I want to be a cartoonist when I grow up, so I made my Doodle resemble a comic strip from a comic book.
What else do you like to draw and doodle for fun? Random people with big heads and odd objects.
What's your favorite thing to learn about in school, and why? Social studies, because people did some strange things in the past, and it is cool to learn about them.
What age do you think you'll be when you're officially a "grownup?" 108.
Arantza Peña Popo, Grades 10-12
Hometown: Lithonia, Georgia
Doodle Title: Once you get it, give it back
How did you come up with the idea for your Doodle? I came up with the idea at the last minute, actually the day of the deadline. I looked at the photograph of my mother (the real version that inspired the drawing) and thought, "Hey, why don't I reverse it?" I wanted to focus more on a message of helping out my awesome mother, more than anything else.
What's your favorite thing to learn about in school, and why? I like to learn about literature that focuses on more diverse perspectives of our society.
What age do you think you'll be when you're officially a "grownup?" I think at 30 years old I'll feel like a grownup. I'm 18 now and I still feel like a kid.
