Doodle for Google winner finds kindness in friendships based on personality, not appearance - CNET

Fourth-grader Sharon Sara takes a very thoughtful approach to friendship: What you look like on the outside isn't as important as who you are on the inside.

That's the message Sharon emphasized in her winning entry for the annual Doodle for Google contest. This year's theme was "I show kindness by..." and Sharon's entry focused on the sometimes difficult experiences she's had trying to make friends.

"People have not wanted to be my friend because of how I look, so I decided to draw what I do!" she told Google. "No matter what people look like, you look on the inside and then decide if you want to be their friend.

"Kindness means to not look at someone from the outside, but look at their personality, and being open to their friendship," she added.

Her entry, titled Together As One, features girls of different shapes, sizes and colors, in different styles of dress, holding hands in friendship.

For almost as long as Google has been around, it's livened up its bare-bones search page with artwork that draws attention to notable people, events, holidays and anniversaries. Google Doodles have celebrated, among many other things, Pac-Man's anniversary, Copernicus' birthday, Mother's Day and the World Cup, as well as reminding us of lesser-known real-world heroes.

The National Doodle for Google contest began in 2008 and each year receives tens of thousands of entries from schoolkids across the US. This year's finalists included artwork of people caring for the environment and other people, as well as advocating for avoiding negativity on social media.  

As the national winner, Sharon will see her artwork displayed on Google's home page all day Wednesday and she'll receive a $30,000 college scholarship, some Google hardware and Googley swag. Her school in Frisco, Texas, will also receive a $50,000 technology package.

The other four national finalists, whose submissions can be viewed here, will also receive a hardware-and-swag package, as well as a $5,000 college scholarship.

All of the state winners' submissions can be viewed in Google's website gallery.