Beverly Student Headed to D.C.

After hearing the exciting news last week that the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will visit Elkins on Nov. 4, this week we learned that a Beverly Elementary School student has won the statewide Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest.

The essay of Ethan Reese, a Beverly fourth-grader, was chosen the winner out of more than 400 entries from across the state, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin. D-W.Va., announced Tuesday.

Ethan will travel to Washington, D.C. this holiday season to take part in the official tree-lighting ceremony, alongside members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate

Ethan’s winning essay begins:

“My name is Ethan Reese, and I am in 4th Grade at Beverly Elementary School. I live very close to where the Capitol Christmas Tree is from, the Monongahela National Forest. I spend a lot of time there with my family, and I am the great-great grandson of one of the very first Superintendents of the Monongahela National Forest.

The biggest reason I love West Virginia forests and public lands is because they allow me to spend time with my family. I take photographs with my dad, hike with my mom, fish with my grandpa, identify wildflowers with my grandparents, travel and explore with my parents, and camp with all of my family.”

The Capitol Christmas Tree — known as “The People’s Tree” — lights up the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the holiday season. The tree is selected from a different national forest each year, a tradition that began in 1970 when Monongahela National Forest provided the first tree on behalf of the Forest Service. Monongahela National Forest also provided the tree in 1976.

This year, the tree will be harvested in Randolph County from the Greenbrier Ranger District and will travel around West Virginia throughout November before heading to Washington.

The tree will visit Elkins on Saturday, Nov. 4, an event that will feature a parade, live music and activities for children.

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