STOREY COUNTY, Nev. (KOLO) - Out of 250 entries, a Virginia City fourth grader won the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest to light the tree in Washington, D.C., in December and read his “Starry Skies to Neon Lights: Spirit of the Silver State” piece.

“Huge congratulations to Grady Armstrong,” a Storey County School District Facebook post said.

Smokey Bear and Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony’s Rural Liaison Garrett Tamagni surprised Grady in his classroom at Hugh Gallagher Elementary.

“He’ll make a great ambassador for our state when he helps to light Silver Belle, the 2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree,” Anthony said.

For the first time in its 55-year history, the “People’s Tree” will come from the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada.

The contest is sponsored by the lieutenant go

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