A Vienna high school student has won Virginia’s Doodle for Google contest and has a shot at the national prize among students from 54 states and territories.
Sarah Naidich, a rising junior at Oakton High School, is all about her art. “I also want to pursue art and study art in college,” she said.
Naidich’s passion won her a spot in the Doodle for Google competition, which is based on a theme of kindness. She said she was beyond surprised to find out she was the Virginia winner after her mom received the congratulatory email.
Naidich drew a pipeline feeding water into a reservoir, showing how both water and kindness are necessary for the world to survive.
Naidich’s drawing was chosen among thousands of entries and will now compete against the winners from other states.
“I really want people to vote for me because I feel like mine shows all the elements of kindness,” she said.
Naidich isn’t the only local student winner in the Doodle for Google contest. Representing D.C. is Lexi Brown, a 2020 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School who is also competing in the grades 10-12 category.
“I show kindness by standing up for my friends,” Brown said in her artist statement. “I painted a picture of a group of friends who are linked together by their arms to represent a sense of solidarity between people of different backgrounds.”
And in Maryland, Vikram Parmar, of Wicomico Day School, in Salisbury, was the state’s winner, competing in the K-3 category.
“I show kindness by playing with everyone,” Parmar said in his statement. “No one should be left out or alone. We should all be goofy, hang around together and be happy!”
A vote will now determine who advances to a round of five finalists before a national winner is crowned. The winner receives a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology package for their school.
Voting is open until Friday. Click here to see the art and vote.
