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Florida high school student wins Google Doodle contest by showcasing her mother's support

STUART, Florida – A Martin County High School student's artwork – a drawing of her hugging her mother – is now displayed on Google's homepage for hundreds of millions to see.

Sophie Araque-Liu, a 16-year-old senior from Stuart, Florida, won this year's Doodle for Google contest, an annual competition for K-12 students to create their own versions of the Google logo. A nominee was selected from each state and U.S. territory, and a panel of judges determined the winner.

Araque-Liu will receive a $30,000 scholarship. Her artwork appeared this morning in place of Google's logo and will be displayed throughout the day today.

Sophie Araque-Liu's winning artwork in the Doodle for Google competition. The submission from the junior at Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida, was selected from nominees from each state and U.S. territory and is featured on the website's homepage for a day.
Sophie Araque-Liu's winning artwork in the Doodle for Google competition. The submission from the junior at Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida, was selected from nominees from each state and U.S. territory and is featured on the website's homepage for a day.

The theme for this year's contest was "I care for myself by ...," and Araque-Liu's redesign depicted her hugging her mother, set within the middle of the Google logo.

"I decided to show a different aspect of 'I care for myself,'" she said earlier. "I care for myself by letting other people care for me. ... It's just amazing to know you still have people supporting you, and you don't need to try to do everything on your own."

Her mother has always been so supportive of her art, she said, so their relationship fit the theme perfectly.

When her artwork was selected in May as Florida's nominee, Martin County High School held a surprise assembly where dozens of friends and classmates surprised her with the announcement.

"It's absolutely insane," she said. "It's bonkers."

She also wins a $50,000 tech package from Google for establishing or improving a computer lab or technology program at Martin County High School.

Araque-Liu said she would use the $30,000 scholarship to help her and her sisters pay for college.

Follow Thomas Weber on Twitter @thomasjweb.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Google Doodle contest victor transforms mom's support into winning art