Each year as part of the Beaver Creek Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Beaver Creek Children's Theatre Company and Beaver Creek Resort hold the “My Wish for a Better World” children's poetry contest. Nearly 80 children entered from all over the Eagle River Valley, and the judges said they had a hard time trying to pick one that stood out from all the rest.

“Each year, we receive the sweetest, most humbling and darn right funny poems from the kids,” said Brian Hall, director of Beaver Creek Children's Theatre. “We received almost 80 entries this year, and the kids had some great wishes to make our world a better place. What is so wonderful to read is how the kids put others ahead of themselves in their wishes. And we want to thank all the kids for taking the time to write and send in their poems.”

The first-place winner this year is Calley Nottingham Gottbehuet, from Homestake Peak School — a fifth-generation valley resident. Second place goes to Riley Kromer, from Stone Creek Charter School. And third place goes to Caitlyn Bishop, from St. Clare of Assisi School.

First place

“My Wish for a Better World”

By Calley Nottingham Gottbehuet

My holiday wish is for,

Kids to have houses and parents

That love them dearly.

This is my wish,

Can you hear me clearly?

Kids to have nutritious food,

To fill their bellies

This is my wish

That they would look like big bowls of jellies.

Kids to have health

And medical care.

This is my wish,

Can you spare?

Kids to have education

And school.

This is my wish,

So they can be cool.

Kids to have presents and gifts

So they can have new toys.

This is my wish,

For them to have joy.

Please help the children

And my holiday wish,

In the spirit of Christmas,

Give the children of the world a giant kiss.

This is my wish.

Second place

“Holiday Wish”

By Riley Kromer

For Christmas this year, I have only one wish.

It is not for a holiday feast on my dish.

I wish for a wish that's been wished in the past,

But sadly my wish will not be the last.

I wish for the thing that is broken by war,

I wish for the thing that civilians yearn for.

I wish for the fighting and hating to cease,

That is my holiday wish — I wish for peace.

Third place

“Our World, My Wish”

By Caitlin Bishop

Our world is from before the existence of Christmas, to celebrating it every year in many different ways.

From freezing cold, to burning hot.

We are from disagreements, to finding great solutions.

We are from natural disasters, to communities coming together to hold hands and fix our problems.

From volunteering to help the hungry, to lavish holiday mals.

We are from happy and joyful, to scared and sad.

But if we could come together, help one another, and treat everyone in the world as if they are part of one big family, then we could make a difference.

My wish for our world is that people could have a better understanding of each other. To celebrate everything that we have in common and to respect all our differences. May all our wishes lead the world to peace!

Honorable mentions

“My Wish for a Better World”

By Corban De Los Santos

That time of year is

Coming' round again … .

My wish for all of you is that,

This world be a better place to live in.

Something that's greater than

All your Dreams,

Filled with love, hope and all

That Christmas brings,

Peace, laughter, joy, and all that beams,

There's a blessing in everything life brings,

For being behind each dark cloud the sun gleams!

So, ALL get together and make this world the best place to be in!

“Love”

By Alexi Petersen

If people would only be kind to each other,

Treat with love like a sister or brother,

Then the love will soar all around the world,

Just like a bird flies south for the winter.

The bullies will stop,

The thugs will go away,

If we all just keep the love coming our way,

The world would be a happier place,

If we show our love every day.

“Spelling Skiing Gives You Six Ways to Make the World a Better Place”

By Lauren Hilty

Sharing things.

Kindness

Integrity

Imagine world peace.

Notice other people and not just your self.

Giving of your self to other people.

“My Dream”

By Lindsay Foley

No fighting wars, just holding hands,

Peacefulness runs through the earth,

Loving one another as much as we can,

It's world peace's day of birth.

As impossible as it might seem,

World peace can be achieved,

A glimmer of hope does gleam,

And no one will have to grieve.

All countries would love one another,

We could all work together,

And we could be nice to each other,

Loving each other forever.

Listening, talking, and trying to understand,

Hope is within every heart,

Stretching our love like a rubber band,

Putting faith, trust, and hoe, in our shopping cart.

My dream can be simple to achieve,

With one step at a time,

If everyone would just believe,

There's hope within every rhyme.

All Our Poets….

Brush Creek Elementary —

Hailey Bill

Griffin Collins

Ceyna Dawson

Annika Nomachee Giphart

Jeffrey Hall

Kira Hower

Audrey Lypps

Isabella Richie

Ava Jean Symanski

Otto Von Berga

Jackie Woods

Shelbi Lubbers

Macallan Borg

Alandra Hernandez Carrasco

Jocelyn Castillo

Brody Cyphers

Corban De los Santos

Ramiro Fernandez

Luke Anton Grimaldi

Karen Gutierrez

James Avery Hancock

Miles Jarnot

Joseph Peter Leonardo

Brissa Lopez

Grant Maurer

Camryn McGrath

Hannah Nelson

Edgar Pacheco

Lexi Lynn Petersen

Graziella Picrangeli

Emily Quezada

Piper Russell

Drew Richard Schuering

Edgar Tellez Soto

Audrey Teague

Lexi Timm

Isabella Tonazzi

Josephine Trueblood

Martin Velazco

Tamara Villegas

Brynn Wedlake

Alexandra Morales

Orion McClurg

Sidney Whitmarsh

Scya Whitmarsh

Lorenza Sanchez

Caitlin Bishop

Kiana Brausch

Rebecca Daly

K'leigh Davis

Ryan Downey

Lauren Ann Hilty

Kaitlin Medina

Rosie Millett

Valeria Duarte Munoz

Paddy Shea Nary

John Pavelich

Arianna Peņa

Carly Post

Sharon Seabury

Ava Spangler

John Verratti

Katie May Gibbs

Clayton Humphries

Jenna Humphries

Josh Keiser

Katie Keith

Jesse Koelliker

Riley Kromer

Kiki Lettovska

Zander Miscio

Hallie Moore

Jaron Peņa

Lina Plymell

Rebecca Schifanelli