Hillsboro 4th Grader Poem Wins Nat'l Contest

HILLSBORO, OR — An ode to Oregon earned Jackson Elementary fourth grade student Brigette Harrington a trip to Washington, D.C., for the annual lighting of "The People's Tree." This year, an 80-foot-tall noble fir from the Willamette National Forest was selected to stand in the Capitol's lawn; it is reportedly the first noble fir to be selected for the traditional honor.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Monday morning announced Harrington as the winner of Oregon's U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest while visiting Jackson Elementary School in Hillsboro. Harrington, Brown said, was selected from among 1,200 other fourth graders who sent in an essay answering "What I love about Oregon's outdoors."

"It was exciting to have so many young Oregonians submit essays about our beautiful state. Oregonians have a strong tradition of exploring our outdoor spaces and I'm excited to see this continue in the next generation of Oregon explorers," Brown said in a statement. "I particularly loved Brigette's reflections on Oregon's four seasons, and I am thrilled that she will be representing all Oregonians at the U.S. Capitol."

Beginning in winter and working her way around, Harrington described Oregon's weather, colors, recreational options, and more in an anapestic tetrameter poem read to the cadence of "A Visit from St. Nicholas."

"‘Twas the month before Christmas, and all through my mind/Swirled thoughts of my Oregon, all intertwined; The four seasons how extraordinary, each one of a kind/Left memories galore for my mind to rewind," Harrington wrote. "So as I close my eyes for sleep, my heart holds memories dear/Thinking of my home, our state, my Oregon, how glad I’m here."

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The ode not only earned Harrington the trip to D.C. but also a 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree ornament and a special "ugly sweater"-style baseball jersey created by the Eugene Emeralds minor league baseball club, in partnership with the Willamette National Forest Service.

When asked how she felt about winning the contest and meeting the governor, all Harrington could reportedly say was, "Amazing."

Image via Hillsboro School District