She found the Mapman! (Mapman Contest).

Danielle Fry of Fairview Middle School in Fairfield, Iowa, is the grand-prize winner of the 2003 Mapman Contest.

In our February 7 issue, we challenged you to figure out the places that Mapman--aka Jim McMahon--visited on a recent trip. To win, you had to complete two difficult tasks: answer all eight questions correctly and draw a map of the final destination.

We received 9,000 entries from all 50 states. More than half of you got all eight answers right.

Danielle won a $500 U.S. Savings Bond for her map (above). She--and each of the 25 runnersup--will also receive a Mapman T-shirt and a 2003 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia[TM]

Correct answers: 1. Southeast; 2. United States; 3. Lesser Antilles (or archipelago); 4. South America; 5. Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn; 6. Manaus; 7. More than 5 million; 8. Brazil.

JS talks with Mapman

JS: Where were you, Mapman? Mapman: I went to the island of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is located along Brazil's southeast coast in the South Atlantic Ocean.

JS: Tell us about the island.

Mapman: Santa Catarmna features nearly 40 postcard-perfect beaches. Many of the teenage boys and girls :here are avid surfers. In fact, what I saw on Santa Catarina reminded me of the surf culture that exists in Waikiki, Hawaii.

JS: Did you surf when you were there?

Mapman: Well, I didn't have a board, so I body surfed instead.

JSS: Tell us about the student entries.

Mapman: First, I want to thank all the students for participating. This is the first time in a few years that all 50 states sent entries. I was impressed both with the research skills and creativity o our students.

Some students focused on Brazil's people and culture. I looked at many maps decorated with soccer balls, flags, coffee beans, and all sorts of fishing boats, nets, and poles. Other students chose to highlight Brazil's rain forests. One of the more inventive entrants actually cut out a map of Brazil from a piece of bark.

RELATED ARTICLE: The 25 runners-up are: Natali Alcala, Doolen Middle School (MS), Tucson, AZ; Lauryn Ando, St. Francis School, Honolulu, HI; Amanda Apholz, Guliview MS, Naples, FL; Nicholas Arjona, Walker School, Kennesaw, GA; Sveta Bornschlegl, Resurrection Lutheran School, Rochester, MN; Caroline Griffith, Bemus Point School, Bemus Point, NY; Becky Grinwald, Saylesville School, Rubicon, WI; Emily Fleming, C-K MS, Ceredo, WV; Shaina Herding, Watertown MS, Watertown, SD; Alexis Johnson, LaSalle Language Academy, Chicago, IL; Kevin Keller, Doolen MS, Tucson, AZ; Shirley Liang, The Bay Academy/I.S. 98, Brooklyn, NY; Marc Luong, Our Lady Help of Christians, Allentown, PA; McKenzie Morton, Gulfview MS, Naples, FL; Jeff Nelson, Watertown MS, Watertown, SD; Tony Ordonez, Gu If view MS, Naples, FL; Michele Paccagnini, Randolph MS, Randolph, NI; Joseph Perry, Sacred Heart School, Turlock, CA; Michael Schmidt, Randolph MS, Randolph, NI; Aaron Pickrel, Watertown MS, Watertown, SD; Allison Stephens, Aledo Junior High, A ledo, IL; Chiu-Hung Tai, Gulfview MS, Naples, F.L; David Tao, Barnsley 'Elementary School, Rockville, MD; Adar Weinreb, Randolph MS, Randolph, NJ; Helen Wu, Randolph MS, Randolph, NJ.