Mandeville Middle School fourth-grader Elizabeth Laderer is one in million. Well, maybe not a million, but at least 26,000. That’s the number of entries received for the Doodle for Google contest.

Laderer, who wants to be either an artist or a veterinarian, is well on her way to a graphics career as a regional finalist for the contest. Representing region seven, she will fly to New York next week to visit the Google offices.

The states in the region include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. Topic of the contest is “What I Wish for the World.” Laderer’s wish is to have fresh water to drink. “Millions of people do not have access to fresh water. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. What a shame,” she said.

Each of the state winners will receive a Doodle for Google winner’s certificate. The regional winners will receive a trip to New York and a T-shirt with their doodle on it. In addition, the four finalists will each receive a laptop computer.

The national winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship to be used at the school of their choice. Their school will receive a $25,000 technology grant towards the establishment or improvement of a computer lab.

The national finalists, one per grade group, will be announced in New York May 20 as well as the national winner, whose doodle will go live on the Google homepage for 24 hours May 21.

To vote for Laderer’s design, go to google.com. The contest entry is under the google search field. Laderer’s entry is region 7 and visitors may vote as many times as they like. Voting will end May 18.

Google Web master Dennis Hwang began doodling in 2000. Hwang said that many of the doodles are created for timely events and must be created within 24 hours, like the Mars Rover landing doodle. He also commemorates holidays in countries around the world. His favorites are artists’ birthdays.

Hwang offers tips for future doodlers, including utilizing the letters in the Google logo. He said the best doodles are simple images that use color well and are different.