'It Feels Good:' Queens Girl Wins 'Doodle 4 Google' State Contest
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A third grader from Queens is wowing the area with her big imagination and some colored pencils.
After winning the Doodle 4 Google state contest, she is now in the running to have her artwork featured on Google's homepage next month.
Chloe Chan, 8, was all smiles Friday, holding up her finalist award for this year's contest.
"It feels good," she said. "I did it by myself."
She designed and drew her winning artwork all alone, but she didn't celebrate by herself. Her classmates and teachers at the Kingsbury School in Flushing turned their usual Friday into a mini-surprise party for her.
"I really do feel very, very proud," said Principal Dr. Janet Caraisco.
"Her creativity, her skills – she just amazes me every time," art teacher Tracy Dykeman said.
Chan is part of the school's gifted and talented education program and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. So it's only fitting she submitted a drawing of a doctor with her tools.
"We asked her, 'What are the things that inspire you?' So we came up with many ideas, and she narrowed it down to being a doctor," said her father, Hin Chan.
Her dad is the one who told her about the contest, which was open to students across the country. He knew this year's theme was "What Inspires Me?" and his daughter is full of inspiration.
"The best thing for her is to explore many different options and to be imaginative," he said.
Chan's design will be in a Google gallery with other regional winners, and people will vote for the best one. The ultimate national winner will get a $30,000 scholarship and a trip to the Google headquarters. Their school will also receive some money, but the main prize: their drawing will be featured on Google's homepage.
"Vote for my drawing," she said.
Check the page on June 8th to see if her doodle will be on Google. Voting beings Monday and lasts until May 18. For more information, click here.
