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We understand that it may be impossible for some students to attend a regional competition. So we are holding a virtual competition in which students may submit a poster electronically and speak with judges via conference call or teleconference.
Projects & application forms must be recieved by midnight on April 17th!
An electronic version of the project must be submitted on CD or uploaded
The electronic version MUST include at least all maps and written materials, however, entrants are encouraged to include photos and other relevant materials. Projects will be exhibited on the competition website.
The form of the electronic version may be one or more of the following:
- poster in PDF format
- slideshow (Powerpoint, Impress or Keynote)
- web-based map project (such as Google Earth or Google Maps)
- downloadable map project (ie ArcMap, ArcExplorer or qGIS maps with data)
- video (Quicktime, MP4 or Flash format)
- website with all required files includedTo submit your poster to the Virtual Competition, you will need to do three things:
1. Submit your project electronically via FTP or by mailing a CD: Click here for FTP instructions.
2. Mail or email your completed application form: Click here to download the application form (PDF ~ Word). The photo and project permission form should be signed by a parent or guardian and mailed or faxed to 207-255-1390.
3. Participate in a brief telephone or video conference interview with competition judges: After your project and application are submitted, we will contact you to schedule an interview.
Uploading your project via FTP
To upload your project to our website, you will need to have special software called an FTP client. Fortunately, there are free and low-cost options. We recommend Filezilla.
Filezilla is a free, open-source FTP client application that you can use to upload your project, and there are versions for Windows, Mac or Linux. It's quick to download and install, and it's easy to use. You can download Filezilla from this site: http://filezilla-project.org/. Here is a quick guide to using Filezilla: http://wiki.filezilla-project.org/Using#Quick_Guide.
You will also need a host, user name and password (Note that the following information is for uploading projects for the Virtual Competition only. If you need to upload a project for the competition, click here and follow the appropriate link.):
Host: ftp.megischamps.org
User Name: virtualupload@megischamps.org
Password: gisrocks
To upload your project, follow these steps:
1. Save your project in an appropriate format. If there are multiple files, save them in together in a single folder. Name the folder and all associated files with a descriptive term then <your last name or team name>_<school/organization name>_vp10. So, if your name is Jill Smith and you attend Ruth Moore High School, you would name your file "Smith_MooreHS_vp09." If your team name is the Red Sox and you're part of the Edge After School Program, you would name your file "RedSox_Edge_09." Do not use spaces in your file name.
2. Make sure you are connected to the internet, open your FTP client and enter the information above. Here's how it will look in Filezilla:
3. Connect to the host site. In Filezilla, simply click the Quickconnect button.
4. Use the FTP client to copy your folder or file from your computer to the web folder. Depending on the size of the file and your connection speed, this may take a very long time.
5. If you would like us to confirm that we have received your project, contact Angela Brady: giscenter@maine.edu
More Information About the Virtual Competition
Is the virtual competition right for you?
There are several reasons to attend the event, rather than submitting your project to the electronic competition. First, the electronic competition will have only one winner per category statewide, so the chances of winning the virtual competition may be much smaller. Also, at the event students will have a chance to see and talk with GIS professionals and college faculty from around the state. The events include fun activities, too.
So you should try to attend the competition. If you are unable to pay for travel or printing your project, finding a local sponsor is a great way to get help. Need ideas? Contact us. We may be able to help you find sponsors. If you are still unable to attend, then you should consider submitting your project to the virtual competition.
How will judges interact with students in the Virtual Competition?Entrants in the virtual competition for high school and middle school students will be required to take part in a conference call or a teleconference to discuss their project with the judges. After the final submission date, we will contact you to set up a virtual meeting with the judges.
