ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A student from St. Petersburg took first place in a competition hosted by Google at the level of the state, and they will now compete at the national level.
The founders of Google have explained in a press statement that back in January, kids all throughout the United States were asked to submit their concepts for the 15th annual Doodle for Google contest.
This year, the technology company extended an invitation to children in grades K-12 to respond to the theme “I am grateful for…” through the medium of their artistic creations.
Iman Haddouche-Miranda, a kid from St. Petersburg who attends homeschooling, has been selected as the 2023 Florida State Winner. They were chosen among students in the fourth and fifth grades out of the tens of thousands of entries that were received.
Following her triumph at the state level, Haddouche-Miranda will next take part in competitions at the national level.
The piece of artwork that was selected as the national winner will be featured on Google.com for one full day. Additionally, they will be awarded a college scholarship in the amount of $30,000 and a technology package in the amount of $50,000 for their school or non-profit organization.
“We could not believe the number of submissions that were received. Students of all ages demonstrated their appreciation in ways that were both thoughtful and intentional, as the leaders of Google explained in the release.
“Young artists discussed a variety of things that they are thankful for, including as spending time with their communities, reading books, engaging in artistic activities, and spending time in nature.
“Given the challenging nature of the previous few years, we were really inspired to see the many ways students have been nurturing their spirits and facing the opportunities and challenges that every day brings,” said the researchers.
The following is what Haddouche-Miranda said in answer to the prompt:
“I am thankful for the community that supports me and cares for me. Because of the amount of bullying I experienced at school, my mother decided to educate me at home. My mother was able to locate a group of people who are sympathetic to my specific skill set.
Our community activities have provided me with the opportunity to learn more about who I am capable of becoming, while at the same time allowing me to maintain my identity.
