At a special surprise assembly on Thursday, February 23, Hathaway Brown junior Brice Bai of Hudson learned that she is the 2017 Doodle 4 Google winner for the state of Ohio. Google representatives delivered the news in person during a presentation just before lunch with the entire Upper School student body in attendance.

As Ohio's winner, Brice received a personal visit from two Google representatives who flew in from San Francisco for the occasion, and she was presented with a large poster and a t-shirt emblazoned with her winning design, along with a tablet device. Winners in the contest have been selected from 53 U.S. states and territories, and the field now will be narrowed to five finalists who will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., along with a $5,000 college scholarship. The national winner will be announced on March 31. In addition to having his or her design featured on the Google home page that day, he or she will receive a $30,000 college scholarship, $50,000 for technology initiatives at his or her school, and other prizes. 

Finalists will be selected based on a number of criteria, including public voting, which will open in the evening on February 28 and run through March 6. Visit Doodle4Google.com every day to cast your ballot for Brice!

All 2017 Doodle 4 Google contestants were asked to create an original design that answers the question, "What I See for the Future." Brice made a digital image that focuses on the theme of female empowerment, featuring six women depicted as a scientist, a firefighter, a computer programmer, an athlete, a member of the military, and a singer. "What I see for the future is that everyone will be able to be what they want to be, and career choices will not be limited by gender," she said. 

We couldn't agree more. 

Please join us in congratulating Brice Bai and don't forget to vote for her amazing Doodle.

Watch the reveal: