Oregon 4th-grader to light U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
One lucky fourth-grade Oregonian will have the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C. and join the U.S. Speaker of the House in lighting the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree during the official ceremony.
We’re launching an essay contest asking 4th-grade students to write letters about what they love about Oregon’s outdoors to coincide with the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree theme, “Find Your Trail!”
Governor Kate Brown will select one student author from statewide letter submissions to receive a once-in-a-lifetime all-expenses paid trip for the winner and one guardian to travel to Washington, D.C. to take part in the tree-lighting ceremony alongside members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the public. The winner and the guardian will also attend festivities surrounding the tree lighting taking place throughout the Capitol.
The application is located here (https://www.oregon.gov/gov/pages/contest.aspx). 3rd and 4th Grade teachers are invited to utilize the Oregon Forest Resources Institute’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Instruction Guide, which is designed for students to learn why Oregon is such a great place for growing trees, and the importance of trees and forests to our state and beyond. All 4th graders are also eligible to receive a free annual pass to hundreds of parks, lands and waters across the United States for an entire year through the Every Kid In A Park program.
The tradition of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree began in 1964. Each year a different national forest is chosen to provide “The People’s Tree” for the holiday season. Oregon’s tree will come from the Willamette National Forest as a gift to the people of the United States, and will be displayed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C in December 2018.
Applications and essay submissions are due by Friday, September 28, 2018. The winner will be announced October 12, 2018 and travel to Washington, D.C. during the first week of December. Please help students ensure their submissions are formatted with 12 point font, 1 inch margins and double spacing. Letters should be no longer than 500 words and will be evaluated on the following criteria: relevant content, clear focus, and originality.
See the Capitol Christmas Tree as it travels along the Oregon Trail in November 2018. Information about the tree, travel route, schedule and special events will be available at www.capitolchristmastree.com.
To get involved: Capitol Christmas Tree email, capitolchristmastree2018@gmail.com
