2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Youth Tree Lighter

2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Youth Tree Lighter
Idaho fourth-grade students interested in participating in the contest and serving as the Tree Lighting Helper are invited to submit an entry to the essay contest.

Essays should answer the prompt, “Why are healthy forests and clean water in Idaho important?”

All submissions must:
- adhere to the word limit (350-500 woods),
- be received by the closing date of the contest,
- be an original essay written by the contest participant,
- certify the essay is not originated by AI and
- have approval of a parent or guardian to participate.
Entries will be reviewed and verified for accuracy by Senator Mike Crapo’s team, and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, in collaboration with the Idaho Forest Restoration Partnership, will select the contest winner and make the notification.

All submissions must be received by Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.
Your Name

First NameLast Name
School (or indicate Homeschooled)
Teacher's Name

Teacher First NameTeacher Last Name
Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Name of Parent/Guardian

Parent/Guardian First Name Parent/Guardian Last Name
Email of Parent/Guardian
example@example.com
Phone Number of Parent/Guardian
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
Upload Essay Here

Please upload the essay in Word Document or PDF form
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By checking this box, I certify this is an original essay written by the contest participant and not generated by AI.
By checking this box, I certify my parent or legal guardian consents to my participation in the contest.
By checking this box, I understand I will be asked to read my essay aloud at the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C., in early December.
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