Good morning, and welcome to the Doodle 4 Google
National Ceremony.
We had more than 33,000 doodles in our theme "If I Could Do
Anything I Would..." A panel of independent and expert judges
helped us to get to the top 40 of all of you.
We went and met most of you in your hometowns with our D40G
held in schools last week.
We're going to begin with a panel of some
of our expert judges.
Andy, I have to imagine that you see really amazing
designs at Disney every day.
For Disney to be connected to this is a great thing.
We are all about entertainment for children.
There's a freedom and a beauty, almost a folk art quality to a
lot of the drawings that I saw.
It's hard to believe these kids can draw as well as they
can at the age they are.
Playtime really leads to a lot of creativity, and creativity
and innovation are really what's central to
Sesame Street.
We're about literacy and numeracy, but we're also about
all of the other aspects of being a kid, and I think that
was really reflected in a lot of the entries.
Your best idea is not going to be the first thing you think
of, so you want to have a scratch pad so you can kind of
work up to the idea that ends up being something
you actually ink.
It all takes practice, and art is no different.
You really have to practice your craft to get better at it.
Karen, how would you answer the question, if I could
do anything, I would...?
I actually brought along someone from Sesame Street, who
might be able to answer that question a little bit
better than I can.
[APPLAUSE]
Elmo!
Hi!
Elmo thinks this is the coolest amusement park
Elmo has ever seen.
Elmo, this isn't an amusement park.
This is our office.
Get outta town!
Oh, Elmo was so surprised they're so talented!
Art education is so important for children's growth and to
approach problem solving in a very creative way.
When all their friends are outside playing, the finalists
took a chance in creating their own artwork.
Throughout their future, they'll have more doors
open, and I think a lot of good things will happen.
We want to recognize the national finalists.
In the category of 4th through 6th grade, Raymond Marquez,
from Eagle Pass, Texas.
For the grades 7 through 9 category, Vince Viggiano, from
Long Valley, New Jersey.
Bevan Schiffli from Highlands, North Carolina.
And our national winner for this year's competition is
Makenzie Melton, nine years old, from El Dorado, Missouri.
[APPLAUSE]
Congratulations, Makenzie!
Our mission at Cooper-Hewitt is to get design into the K
through 12 classroom and for teachers to see that it's
something that can help kids connect to 21st century skills.
We think of children as being the most important group
because they'll grow up to enjoy designing or be aware of
design or become designers.
Doodle 4 Google is a fabulous way to bring it to more people.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hi, my name's Makenzie Melton, and my doodle will be on the
Google homepage for one day.
It'll be awesome!
[MUSIC PLAYING]