Audrey Zhang a Doodle 4 Google finalist
Google named Audrey Zhang, of Island Trees Memorial Middle School, as the N.Y. State Google 4 Doodle winner on April 29, 2014. The competition is open to all students in the United States in grades kindergarten through 12. Theme this year is: If I Could Invent One Thing to Make the World a Better Place. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Levittown’s Audrey Zhang has another shot at getting her artwork on Google’s homepage.
For the second-straight year, the Island Trees Middle School fifth grader was named the New York State finalist in the annual Doodle 4 Google contest and has moved on to the national competition.
She’s now in the running to win a $30,000 college scholarship, $50,000 grant for her school and the opportunity to have her doodle showcased on Google’s main website. The winner will be determined by online votes at doodle4google.com.
Audrey, 11, found out earlier this month that a panel of judges had once again selected her doodle as one of 50 state winners and a team from Google traveled to her school Tuesday to formally make the announcement.
Google representatives presented a poster-sized version of her drawing at a reception that included the entire fifth grade class in which every child sported a T-shirt that featured Audrey’s design.
Audrey said she thought this doodle was better than last year’s entry, which earned her $5,000 and one of four national finalist titles.
“It took longer,” she said of the intricate and colorful drawing, which took her a week to complete.
The theme for this year’s contest was If I Could Invent One Thing to Make the World a Better Place.
Audrey responded to this prompt by illustrating a mythical, winged water purification machine that is seen in her doodle removing pollution from a stream that runs through a forest.
“A lot of people die from polluted water and some kids don’t have fresh water to drink,” she said.
Audrey’s mother, Hongmei Weng, 40, a former fashion designer, said her daughter has a “unique vision” and has been drawing since she was 2.
“Her imagination is very precious,” Weng said.
Karen McNally, Audrey’s art teacher, agreed.
“I don’t really put in my two cents too much, because she knows what she wants to do,” McNally said. “It’s just been about encouraging her, supporting her and not trying to stifle her. She has all the creativity herself.”
Online voting runs through 5 p.m. on May 9. The winners will be announced on May 21 during a reception at Google’s headquarters in California.
“We’re looking forward to seeing this doodle become the national champion,” principal Roger Bloom said. “Audrey is a true prodigy.”
Audrey said she intends to pursue art as a career.
“If you don’t draw, then, you can’t show anyone else what your ideas look like.”
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