Google Doodle
Corinne Manning stands in front of her Doodle 4 Google contest entry, “The Curious Cat.” (Christiaan Boer Photo)

A Seattle third grader’s colorful doodle has been recognized by Google as Washington state’s finalist in a competition looking for art which could end up on the tech giant’s homepage.

Corinne Manning, a 9-year-old at McDonald International Elementary School in the city’s Wallingford neighborhood, was surprised at school on Monday where her entry was announced as the state’s finalist in the annual “Doodle 4 Google” contest.

The theme this year was “What inspires me” and Manning — whose entry beat out thousands of others received in Washington — titled her doodle “The Curious Cat.”

“I like that cats are curious about the world around them but can just as easily let things go,” Manning wrote about her drawing. “I also wish that I could jump and almost always land on my feet.”

Doodle 4 Google
Corinne Manning is congratulated by Google reps, teachers and students at McDonald International Elementary School in Seattle on Monday. (Christiaan Boer Photo)

The contest for K-12 students across the United States and its territories is now open to a public vote, featuring entries in five age groups: grades K-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10-12.

Manning’s doodle is up against drawings from K-3 entries from nine other states: West Virginia, Virginia, Oregon, New York, New Hampshire, Wyoming, Arkansas, Indiana and North Dakota.

Voting will run through May 18 at midnight PT. The National Winner will be announced on June 8 and will take home a $30,000 college scholarship and his or her school will receive a $50,000 Google for Education grant towards the establishment and improvement of a computer lab or technology program.

Google Doodle
A closer look at Corinne Manning’s Gogle Doodle, “The Curious Cat.”
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