Google announces ‘doodle of the year' 2026: See who won $55,000 contest

A Washington state high school senior has won the 2026 Doodle for Google contest.

She secured a $55,000 scholarship and the opportunity for her artwork to be displayed on the Google homepage for millions to see.

Kameirah, a 12th-grader from Washington, won with her Doodle called "Hair Power: The Crown That Grows From Us." Her art spells out "Google," using three girls whose hair makes the letters. Inspired by the contest theme, "My superpower is…," Kameirah picked hair as her superpower.

She told Google: “I wanted to imagine a world where hair becomes a superpower, something that reflects the unique stories, talents and beauty within each person. Through the Doodle, I honoured Black hair and culture as a living, growing force that connects people to their heritage, imagination, and confidence.”

This year, tens of thousands of K-12 students in the US entered an art contest. Public voting cut the entries down to five, then guest judges, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ashlie Crosson, chose the winner. Kameirah's doodle got the most public votes, so she won.

“I’ve seen how often people, especially young people, are encouraged to shrink parts of themselves to fit in. As a Black artist, I’ve learned that the things that make us different are often the things that make us powerful,” she added.

Kameriah said that her art is her language to express her identity and connect with others. Her reason to participate in the contest was the idea to combine creativity with a message that could reach millions.