(‘Google doodles’ are the name we give to the
customised Google logos that appear on the Google homepage. These first started appearing in 1998 – since then,
Google’s official Doodler Dennis Hwang and his team have commemorated occasions and holidays worldwide with doodles that celebrate everything from ANZAC Day and the anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary's historical ascent of Mt Everest to the birthday of the barcode.)
We received thousands of entries from more than 600 schools across New Zealand. One hundred 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 (see below), to come together at Te Papa’s amazing multimedia room
Our Space to select the top 20. The really high standard of entries in all age groups made this a very difficult choice.
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 (that's a photo of it below!) as well as on the giant Our Space TelstraClear Screen on the outside of the complex next to Te Papa’s main entrance – if you’re in Wellington, make sure you head along to check it out.
All students in the top 20 will be flown to the grand final event, to be held in Wellington on 5 November, where
Dennis Hwang will select the overall winner whose design will appear at
www.google.co.nz for one whole day next year.
Here's the list of the top 20 entrants – make your vote count at
www.google.co.nz/doodle4google!
2009 Doodle 4 Google New Zealand Top 20- 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, Gisborne (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)
Posted by Annie Baxter, Google New Zealand
