Steamboat Pilot & Today

Hayden — There still are five weeks left in the 2012-13 ski season, but Whittney Lighthizer already is looking forward to next winter.

You can’t blame the Hayden Valley Elementary School fourth-grader for her excitement. On Wednesday, she was surprised at school by Steamboat Ski Area patroller Deb Holloway, who told Whittney she was the grand prize winner of this year’s SlopeWise Safety Poster Contest. The prize? A 2013-14 children’s season ski pass as well as $50 in cash.

This is the 13th year the ski area has sponsored the ski safety poster contest. Students at Hayden Valley Elementary School, Heritage Christian School, North Routt Community Charter School, South Routt Elementary School, Soda Creek Elementary School, Strawberry Park Elementary School and Emerald Mountain School participated in the contest.

“The response has grown steadily with more than 300 posters submitted and nearly 1,500 children learning about on-mountain safety this year,” Holloway said in a news release. “The sheer volume of posters submitted shows the impact this program is having on children across the Yampa Valley and the ability to keep on-mountain safety fun.”

All winning entries from the Steamboat Ski Area contest will be entered into the National Ski Areas Association national safety poster contest.

This year’s school-level winners were:

Hayden Valley Elementary School:

First place: Whittney Lighthizer

Second place: Kelly Turner and Hailee Smith (tie)

Second place: Xela Lowe and Dallas Lewis (tie)

Heritage Christian School:

First place: Clinton Bradt

Second place: Bailey Iacovetto

Third place: Noelle Cerone

North Routt Community Charter School:

First place: Sara Johnson

Second place: Mitch Kucera

Third place: Thomas Reilley and William Reilley (tie)

South Routt Elementary School:

First place: McKenzie Clark

Second place: Spencer Ashley

Third place: Katelyn Dudley and Amy Lewis (tie)

Soda Creek Elementary School:

First place: Sidney Barbier

Second place: Ryley Seibel

Third place: Caroline Gilchrist

Emerald Mountain School:

First place: Finn Dressen

Second place: Eva Hermacinski

Third place: Molly Mueller

Strawberry Park Elementary School:

First place: Timmy Sabat

Second place: Alex Spiegel

Third place: Caz Berkey

Each first-place winner received $50, second-place winners got a $25 Steamboat gift certificate and third-place finishers received a pizza pack.

To reach Brent Boyer, call 970-871-4221 or email bboyer@SteamboatToday.com