Stamford 7th-Grader Named CT's 'Doodle 4 Google' Winner

STAMFORD, CT — Strawberry Hill School seventh-grader Rhea Sadhu was googling something one day last month and stumbled upon the annual Doodle 4 Google contest.

Now in its 15th year, the contest is open to K-12 students in the U.S. and other territories. Students are invited to create their own "Google Doodle" for the chance to have it featured on the search engine's main webpage. A panel of judges reviews submissions for each age group.

Rhea, who has been interested in art since she was around 3 years old, decided to enter the contest, thinking it would just be a fun thing to do.

On Tuesday during a school assembly, Principal Frank Rodriguez and a "Doodle 4 Google Prize Ambassador" surprised Rhea and announced that she was chosen as the winner in the state of Connecticut.

"I'm incredibly excited. It was a complete surprise," Rhea told Patch after the announcement.

This year's contest theme was "I am grateful for..." Rhea used light colored pencils and paint to draw herself surrounded by all the things she's grateful for in her life.

"I am grateful for all the things that make me, me. That includes art, reading, painting and my family [and friends]," she told the audience about her doodle.

Overall, Rhea said the piece of art took about multiple hours a day over a week to complete.

The doodle depicts Rhea sitting cross-legged with headphones on, listening to music — something she does to draw inspiration.

In the background on a dresser are items that are important to Rhea, and they happen to spell out "Google."

A bookstand in the shape of a "G" represents Rhea's love for reading. The "o" is a framed photo of her family.

"The portrait is of my family because they're very important to me, and I get inspiration from them. I'm grateful that they allow me to be creative," Rhea said.

The second "o" is Rhea's head, and the second "g" is formed from Rhea's tangled headphone wires. The "l" is a painting to represent Rhea's love for art, and the "e" is a framed photo of her friends.

Rhea was awarded a Google Chromebook and custom "swag" to commemorate her artwork.

A public online vote will now whittle the 54 state and territory winners down to five national finalists. The vote will run from May 18-May 25.

Each national finalist will receive a $5,000 college scholarship, and the national winner will have their doodle on the Google site for 24 hours. The ultimate winner will also earn a $30,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 technology package for their school or a nonprofit organization, Google hardware and Google "swag."

The other four national finalists will have their doodles featured on the Doodle 4 Google gallery.

Rhea's parents and 5-year-old sister were at the assembly for the announcement.

Her father Akash Sadhu said he was very proud.

"She's very determined. If she has something in mind, she has to do it," Akash said.

Rhea's interest in art was sparked during her pre-school years. Since Akash and Nagina both go to work early in the morning, they would drop Rhea off at Shiny Little Stars preschool in Stamford at 7:30 a.m.

"She was the first child there. The teacher who was there had a master's in art, so they would get an hour and a half together before other kids would come in. That's how she started. She continues to be motivated, and she expresses herself through this," Akash said.

Rodriguez said the school is "ecstatic" for Rhea.

"We're so proud. We're an International Baccalaureate school, and we pride ourselves on students taking action and this is an example of her taking action on a project she really felt great about. I'm proud of that," Rodriguez said.

Nancy Woods, an art teacher at the school for K-5, had Rhea as a student several years ago.

"Rhea is a superstar. She's amazing," Woods said. "You put her in a certain direction and she exceeds any expectation."