Metro Detroit teen is 'Doodle 4 Google' finalist

Andover High School senior Dakota Jones is one of 50 finalists

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – A Bloomfield Hills student is one of the finalists in the national "Doodle 4 Google" competition.

For the past six years, Google has held the contest for kindergarten through 12th grade students asking them to submit artwork that will appear on the Google homepage for a day.

The finalists were announced Wednesday and one of the winners is Dakota Jones, a senior from Andover High School.

Representatives from Google unveiled Dakota's artwork in front of all of her classmates.

Dakota beat out most of the 130,000 other submissions nationwide to be among the top 50 finalists. She's also the only finalist from Michigan. 

Judges selected one finalist from each state in the country. 

The public decides who will win overall.

Becoming one of the 50 finalists means Dakota will have her doodle displayed in a special exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York from May 22 through July 14th. 

The theme for this year's artwork submissions is "My Best Day Ever" -- and for Dakota that would be a day spent as a beekeeper. 

Beekeeping is something Dakota has always wanted to do because she is going into Environmental Science.  Dakota says she has books and does research all the time. She's waiting to get her own hive.

Dakota says she's always been a doodler.

"Everyone in my family is artistic. I just grew up with it. It's a part of me," Dakota said.

The 50 finalists will be narrowed down to five finalists. If Dakota's art is the overall winner, her artwork will be displayed on the Google homepage, she will receive a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant will go to Andover High School.

The public's online votes from all 50 states determine the five finalists. Only one vote is allowed per computer and voting ends May 10. 

To place your vote, click here.


About the Author:

Rhonda Walker has been helping Detroiters get motivated and ready for the day for the past 22 years. A confessed morning person, this award winning talented and versatile journalist starts her day at 2:00 am to co-anchor the weekday morning newscast at WDIV-Local 4 News. A position she’s held since 2003.