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View All 2022 Contest Submissions
Congratulations to our 2022 winners:
“Skull Island” by Leonardo C. from Brunswick (Brunswick Junior High School, Mr. Czyz’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Mystery-Island” by Benjamin C. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mrs. Hebert’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Double Dutch Island” by Avah K. from Topsham (Woodside Elementary, Ms. Farrell’s class, 4th Grade)
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(1st, 2nd, 3rd Place overall winners not eligible)
Fourth Grade
Judges Choice for 4th Grade – Wins $100
“Ziara” by Alena B. from Greene (Fiddlehead School, Ms. Damon’s class, 4th Grade)
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Fifth Grade
Judges Choice for 5th Grade – Wins $100
“Fairy Tale Island” by Isa R. from Yarmouth (Harrison Middle School, Mrs. Rollins’s class, 5th Grade)
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Sixth Grade
Judges Choice for 6th Grade – Wins $100
“The Continent of Tropeace” by Kayla C. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mr. Kosak’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Fairy Island” by Annika E. from Brunswick (Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary, Ms. Brescia’s class, 5th Grade)
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“Peace of the Dragon” by Tom H. from Gorham (Narragansett Elementary, Mr. Douglas’s class, 4th Grade)
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“Stars Hollow” by Kingsley B. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mr. Kosak’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Sunspot” by Samantha S. from Yarmouth (Harrison Middle School, Greely/Shaw’s class, 5th Grade)
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“The land of Niisa” by Eli W. from Portland (King Middle School, Mr. Shaddox’s class, 6th Grade)
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“Ventyr” by Chastyn J. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mrs. Dorr’s class, 6th Grade)
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Honorable Mention for Outstanding Illustrations: Zenna Land of the Wicked by Max B. from North Yarmouth (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, Ms. Loupe’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Research: Inspiring Black American Stories by Ellis J. from Portland (King Middle School, Mr. Mason Osann’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Interactive Format: Enchanted Tale by Issarah V. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mrs. Lord’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Creative Concept: Interland by Serafina R. from Boothbay (Center for Teaching and Learning, Mr. Powers’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Source Citing: The Five Deaths by Trent H. from Brunswick (Brunswick Jr. High, Mr. Czyz’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Best-Dressed Landform: Ballerina Island by Sierra B. from South Berwick (Marshwood Great Works School, Ms. Humiston’s Class, 4th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Maine Map: The Wonders of Maine by Aubriana P. from Limerick (Line Elementary, Mr. Willinski’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite World Map: [Map of the World] by Kayla W. from Gorham (Narragansett Elementary, Ms. Whitney’s Class, 4th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite United States Map: United Sports of America by Ramona C. from Yarmouth (Harrison Middle School, Ms. Shaw’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Map of a Town: Gorham by Leo C. from Gorham (Narragansett Elementary, Mrs. Hamann’s Class, 4th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Fiction-Related Map: Harry Potter by Allyson H. from South Berwick (Marshwood Great Works School, Mrs. Girouard’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Food Map: Picnic Brunch Island by Paige J. from York (York Middle School, Mrs. Bernier’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Habitat Map: Pine Tree Village by Zuriel S. from Boothbay (Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, Homeschool, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Board Game Themed Map: Monopoly Town by Brownlow P. from Falmouth (North Yarmouth Academy, Mrs. Buehner’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Historical Map: Saxon Lands by Elias M. from South Berwick (Marshwood Great Works School, Mrs. Girouard’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Anatomical Map: The Parts of a Human Brain by Lucy R. from Brunswick (Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary, Mrs. Brescia’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Blueprint Map: Titanic by Quinn L. from Yarmouth (Frank Harrison Middle School, Mr. Smith’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Digitally Created Map: Isle of Eggplant by Miles K. from Yarmouth (Harrison Middle School, Ms. Shaw’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Imaginary Vehicle: Nintia Islands by Jamilson M. from Portland (King Middle School, Mr. Chapin’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Bird’s Eye View: Seasons by Lucia M. from Cape Neddick (York Middle School, Mrs. Bernier’s Class, 6th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Activism/Awareness Map: Save The World by Luella S. from Bowdoin (Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary, Ms. Brescia’s Class, 5th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Use of Punctuation: Wait a Second? by Enzo L. from South Portland (Dora L. Small School, Mr. Maheu’s Class, 4th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Random Kookiness: Shoe Box Island by Jayne R. from Gorham (Narragansett Elementary, Mrs. Hamann’s Class, 4th Grade)
Honorable Mention for Judges’ Favorite Timely Concept: Covid Cluster by Stephanie V. from Yarmouth (Harrison Middle School, Mrs. Rollins’s Class, 5th Grade)
…to enter our Illustrated Mapmaking Contest for the chance to win a $1,000 first prize ($500 for you, $500 for your class)! Prizes will also be awarded for second and third places, as well as “Best in Grade.”
*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. Does my map have to be of a real place?
A. No, it can be a map of a real place or someplace or something completely imaginary! If you’re looking for inspiration or ideas, check out our Map Idea Generator.
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). Pixlr.com is also a good program with great tutorials, and it requires no downloads.
Q. Can an illustrated map use words?
A. Yes! In fact, most illustrated maps DO use words.
See Entries from 2021See 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.
