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View All 2021 Contest Submissions
Congratulations to our 2021 winners:
Endangered Species Archipelago by Asher F. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mrs. Sullivan’s Class)
Wins $500 & an extra $500 for Mrs. Sullivan’s class
People of the Dawnland: Wabanaki Tribes of the Northeast Coast by Anna B. from Harpswell (Homeschooled, Curtis Memorial Library)
Wins $250 & an extra $250 for Curtis Memorial Library
The Famous Foods of Maineland by Aubriana P. from Limerick (Line Elementary, Mrs. Fossett’s Class)
Wins $100 & an extra $100 for Mrs. Fossett’s class
(1st, 2nd, 3rd Place overall winners not eligible)
Fourth Grade
Judges 1st Place Choice for 4th Grade – Wins $100
The Calico by Sophie B. from Cape Elizabeth (Pond Cove Elementary, Mrs. Ham’s Class)
Judges 2nd Place Choice for 4th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
Mt. Abram by Sadie R. from Cape Elizabeth (Pond Cove Elementary, Mrs. Ham’s Class)
Judges 3rd Place Choice for 4th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
Ashford Castle, Ireland by Evangeline J. from Portland (Homeschooled, Portland Public Library)
Fifth Grade
Judges 1st Place Choice for 5th Grade – Wins $100
The Blue Moon Islands by Maya B. from Gray (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Mr. Erde’s Class)
Judges 2nd Place Choice for 5th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
Origins of Historic American Women by Lilli K. from Scarborough (Wentworth School, Ms. Ash-Cuthbert’s Class)
Judges 3rd Place Choice for 5th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
Sundew’s Island by Grant P. from South Berwick (Marshwood Great Works, Mrs. Girouard’s Class)
Sixth Grade
Judges 1st Place Choice for 6th Grade – Wins $100
Sea Glass Isles by Teddy B. from Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth Middle, Ms. Caruso’s Class)
Judges 2nd Place Choice for 6th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
Owlery by Finn Rose G. from Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth Middle, Mr. Giampetruzzi’s Class)
Judges 3rd Place Choice for 6th Grade – wins a copy of The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
The Island Nation of Xaks by Owen S. from Gorham (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Ms. Loupe’s Class)
Voting ended Saturday, May 15, at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
“The Blue Moon Islands” by Maya B. from Gray (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Mr. Erde’s class, 5th Grade)
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“The Famous Foods of Maineland” by Aubriana P. from Limerick (Line Elementary, Mrs. Fossett’s class, 4th Grade)
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“Origins of Historic American Women” by Lilli K. from Scarborough (Wentworth School, Ms. Ash-Cuthbert’s class, 5th Grade)
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“Sea Glass Isles” by Teddy B. from Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth Middle, Ms. Caruso’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Japan” by Princessia P. from Springvale (Holy Cross School, Mrs. Halvorsen’s class, 5th Grade)
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“People of the Dawnland: Wabanaki Tribes of the Northeast Coast” by Anna B. from Harpswell (Curtis Memorial Library, Homeschool, 6th Grade)
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“Owlery” by Finn Rose G. from Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth Middle, Mr. Giampetruzzi’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Sundew’s Island” by Grant P. from South Berwick (Marshwood Great Works, Mrs. Girouard’s class, 5th Grade)
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“Spacing Out” by Crowley R. from Cape Elizabeth (Holy Cross School, Mrs. Halvorsen’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Map of Pyrrhia” by Delia B. from Greene (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Ms. Loupe’s class, 6th Grade)
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“The Island Nation of Xaks” by Owen S. from Gorham (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Ms. Loupe’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Endangered Species Archipelago” by Asher F. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, M. Sullivan’s class, 6th Grade)
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*For Teachers: you may schedule a free mapmaking workshop during school hours for your students (groups of 10-35) by form or by email.
Option 1: Mail your map and Entry Release Form to:
Osher Map Library & Smith Center for Cartographic Education
(Attn: Mapmaking Contest)
P.O. Box 9301
Portland, Maine 04104
Option 2: email a high quality scan to: renee.keul@maine.edu. Please note that the scan must be high-quality and appropriately cropped. No photographs please, as photographs have uneven lighting and if the lens axis is not exactly perpendicular to the map, the map will be distorted.
Q. Can I work with another student to make my map?
A. Sorry, no. All the work needs to be your own!
Q. How are maps judged?
A. Every year, we bring together an independent panel of educators, artists, and cartographers to help OML staff with the judging of our annual mapmaking contest. All submissions are reviewed by the panel, and after extensive discussion, the panel selects 12 finalists to go on to the online community voting round. Maps are judged blindly; judges do not see names or schools. This year, because we have maps being sent in by 4th, 5th, and 6th Graders, we have a new prize category: “Best in Grade.” The three “Best in Grade” maps will be selected by the judging panel. It is possible that a map selected as “Best in Grade” will not be among the Top Twelve Finalists.
Q. Which will be more likely to win: maps made on computers or hand-drawn maps?
A. Remember that the final winner will be chosen by online voting. However, the 12 finalists will be chosen by committee based on aesthetics (how nice they look) and originality (creativity and uniqueness). Maps made on the computer can be more mathematically precise, but that will not matter for this contest. Use whatever method allows you to create the most unique and attractive map you can!
Q. Can I use any art material to make my map, so long as it is flat?
A. You can use any standard art medium, but if you use something that might by messy, such as chalk pastels, you need to spray it with fixative. We will be scanning the finalist maps for online voting, and we can’t risk damaging our scanner!
Q. Can I put printed images on a hand-drawn map?
A. You can create images on the computer, print them off, and paste them on your map if you would like. However, if you’re using images you get online, a lot of that is protected by copyright laws, and we could theoretically get in trouble for displaying it on our website. For that reason, all of the illustrations should be your own.
Q. When you say that my map can be created on a computer, are you talking about a certain program?
A. There are multiple programs that can be used to design maps, but we were specifically thinking of software like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program). GIMP is free online (www.gimp.org), but it can be pretty tricky to use at first. If you want to try it, you will probably need to spend a few hours with the tutorials (www.gimp.org/tutorials).
Q. Can an illustrated map use words?
A. Yes! In fact, most illustrated maps DO use words.
See Entries from 2020See Entries from 2019See Entries from 2018See Entries from 2017See Entries from 2016
Questions? Email K-12 Outreach Coordinator, Renee Keul, at renee.keul@maine.edu.
