Kameirah Johnson has gone from Doodle for Google finalist to national winner.
Weeks after being named one of five finalists in Google’s annual student art competition, the Lakeside School senior was crowned the winner of the 2026 Doodle for Google contest during an appearance on NBC’s TODAY show.
Speaking on the morning show, Kameirah said she was “super excited” to have the opportunity to share her message with such a large audience.
This year’s Doodle for Google contest challenged students to complete the theme, “My superpower is …” Kameirah’s winning design celebrates hair as a symbol of identity, culture, and generational strength.
Her artwork, Hair Power: The Crown That Grows from Us, features three figures inspired by Kameirah, her mother, and her sister resting in the grass with their hair styled as crowns.
Growing up, she said her mother taught her to appreciate her hair, culture, and identity.
“When I was a little kid, I’d go to preschool and every single week I’d have new hairstyle, whether it’s braids, afro puffs, etc.,” Kameirah shared with Today. “And she just really taught me to love my hair and love my culture and who I am.”
Kameirah Johnson, a Lakeside School student and winner of the Doodle for Google contest, will give the $50,000 technology package she won to Rainier Beach High School instead.
— The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) June 6, 2026
As the grand prize winner, Kameirah received a $55,000 college scholarship. The winning school is also awarded a $50,000 technology package, but Kameirah requested that the prize go to Rainier Beach High School, which serves a larger number of Black students and students from underserved backgrounds.
This fall, the teen plans to attend New York University, a school she has dreamed of attending since she was 11 years old. She plans to study economics and studio arts and hopes to combine her interests in art and business with the goal of one day owning her own art gallery.
