FLORIDA 2024
Story Maps
Online U.S. School Competition
ABOUT
What is ArcGIS?
ArcGIS Online​ is a website tool used to make interactive maps in a fun, easy way. It is highly accessible for high school and middle school students, and aims to help young learners share and create maps about something in their home states.
How do I make a Story Map?
Templates for all kinds of Story Maps are readily available on the ArcGIS website. Along with single Story Maps, students can also use these templates to make a Map Series, Map Comparisons, or Crowdsourced Picture Maps - and even create their own. Read through the tutorial for step-by-step instructions!
About the Competition:
The theme this year is your choice! We challenge Florida students to create a Story Map to tell a story about history, community, an event, an adventure, a place... something that has had a special impact on you! Take photos, do a virtual tour, and use all the wonderful mapping features available to you to tell your story.
This is a "map competition." Entries should be analytical in nature, map-centric rather than photo-centric or relying on too much text. Use of videos or static images generated by anyone other than the team members must be carefully documented, and such media should be used sparingly; outside content generally detracts in national judging.
​
For project tips, read through ESRI's helpful ideas on their website HERE!
Also, you can see all the prior year winning Story Maps HERE!
Eligibility:
• Entrants must be pre-collegiate students, registered in grades 4-12 at the time of project submission, from public schools or non-public schools, including online schools or home schools, who have not yet received a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Students working independently or in clubs submit through their schools.
• Students may work by themselves or in teams of two, but they may participate in only one entry.
• Schools may submit up to five entries total to their state.
​
• All entries must be made with ArcGIS Online. Esri offers a free ArcGIS School Bundle to every US K–12 school and club. Students can have their own login to view and analyze data and create and save maps.
• All participants must complete 3 entry registration forms:
- 2024 Student to School Form
- 2024 School to State Form
- 2024 Permission and Release Form (available in .docx and PDF)
• Content of the maps must focus on material within Florida's state borders. All school submission forms must be sent to FlGeoAlliance@gmail.com.
Prizes:

The deadline to submit your project is Friday, April 26, 2024. The top five students in each category (middle and high school) may each receive a reward of $100.
From among all the state winners, Esri and NCGE will select and announce one high school winner and one middle school winner to headline a webinar celebrating all the awardees.
National winners will be announced on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
The ESRI webinar will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 8pm EST. It will be held live and recorded, and the “National Winners” will be invited to participate in the webinar to talk and present their StoryMap live.
For further information about eligibility, entries, and judging, view the ESRI website HERE!
Instructions
Step 1
Make an Organization Account with ArcGIS Online. Any U.S. K12 School (including public, non-public or home schools) can request an Organization account for free HERE.
Step 2
While you wait for your Esri Organization account to process, explore your resources to brainstorm ideas for your Story Map:
- Review ESRI's Story Map Gallery HERE.
- See the prior years of winning projects HERE.
This is the perfect time to form questions about the map-making process, and to contact FlGeoAlliance@gmail.com for any further assistance you may need.
Step 3
Start creating your own map! Follow the ESRI tutorial for step-by-step instructions. When you're ready, publish it to share with the rest of the world!
Step 4
Complete the forms and send them to your state representative at FlGeoAlliance@gmail.com:
• 2024 Student to School Form (to register each individual project with the school for judging)
• 2024 School to State Form (to register your school with the state competition leader - you may submit 5 projects for each high school/middle school for consideration)
• 2024 Permission and Release Form (available in .docx and PDF format)
Step 5
Specifics about your entry:
• Entry must be an ArcGIS StoryMap (must use a current template, standard or “Briefing”, not one of the “classic” templates), using an address of “storymaps.arcgis.com (not “storymaps.com”).
• Must be a single ArcGIS StoryMap and not a collection, or a story that launches other stories as integral parts of the project.
• The project is intended to be a “map-centric” exploration, analysis, and presentation of a geographic phenomenon. Limit “non-map” visuals (images and videos) to:
​
• No more than 60 seconds of video, which must be created by the project author (time-enabled map layers do not count as video).
• A total of up to two images not created by the project author (i.e. historic images).
• A total of up to five images created by the project author (project maps, thumbnails, and icons do not count against this limit).
• Please provide the short URL of the StoryMap link and the short URL of the item details “Overview” page (metadata page) for the publicly visible StoryMap.
• Entries must be visible without a login.
• Grading criteria: ESRI has provided this statement in which projects will be graded: "We look for a clear focus/topic/question/story, good and appropriate data, effective analysis, good cartography, thoughtful presentation, and complete documentation.”
Step 6
Timeline:
• Submit your state registration by: April 1, 2024
• Submissions are due by: April 26, 2024
• State winners will be announced: May 3, 2024
• National Winners will be announced: May, 28, 2024
• The ESRI webinar for the National Winners will be presented: June 20, 2024
Get Started!
Register your project with the state (Florida Geographic Alliance) to get started!
We are also available for mentoring if you need any help!
Please email questions to:
FlGeoAlliance@gmail.com.
Good luck!!!
