The Doodle 4 Google competition is open to all primary and secondary school children in Ireland and those entering are asked to create a doodle on and around the Google logo based on the theme 'My Future.'

The winning doodle will be viewed by millions of internet users when it is placed on the Google homepage in Ireland on 3rd March 2010.

The winner will receive a laptop for themselves and their teacher and a technology grant of p10,000 will be awarded to the winning school.

A distinguished panel of judges will be assembled to select the winning entries for this year's competition, which will be judged both on creativity and how well students explain what the theme 'My Future' means to them.

Google is delighted that Michael Lopez, Master Doodler and Google Webmaster, will travel to Dublin from the US next March to select the overall winner of the Doodle 4 Google competition and meet with the finalists.

Entries will be accepted in four categories:
• Category 1 – Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st Class, 2nd Class
• Category 2 – 3rd Class, 4th Class, 5th Class, 6th Class
• Category 3 – 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year
• Category 4 – Transition Year, 5th Year, 6th Year and Youthreach
Five winners from each category will be selected from Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connaught by the panel of judges.

These 80 regional winners will be displayed on the Doodle 4 Google website and the general public will be invited to vote for their favourite doodle.

The top 4 doodles, as voted by the public, will then be assessed by Google Webmaster Michael Lopez, who will select the overall winner.
Schools must register to take part in the competition by November 6, 2009 and must submit entries by December 18, 2009.

For more information on the competition please visit http://www.google.ie/doodle4google/