Thank a Teacher

The Thank a Teacher campaign is designed to increase awareness for the Lottery’s commitment to Virginia’s public schools. It is planned around Teacher Appreciation Week at which time the Virginia Lottery pledges to thank all public school teachers in Virginia. This initiative involves asking the public for support and encouraging them to send a thank-you note, courtesy of the Virginia Lottery, to a public school teacher they value. In the campaign’s first three years, more than 100,00 thank-you notes were distributed. For three years in a row, the Lottery has partnered with the Virginia PTA and the Virginia Tourism Corporation to award two teachers a luxury Virginia vacation. Visit thankateacherva.com for all the details.

Thank a Teacher Art Contest

The Virginia Lottery expanded its Thank a Teacher campaign by adding an art contest for K-12 students enrolled in Virginia’s public schools. Launched on Jan. 2, 2018, the Thank a Teacher Art Contest sought student artists to design the thank-you notes distributed to thousands of teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. Over the contest’s first two years, the Virginia Lottery received over 1,000 entries and selected six winners from across Virginia. The winners each received a $150 gift card and won $1,000 for their school’s art department. For the contest’s third year, the Lottery is excited to partner with the Supply Room to award each winner a $150 gift card and $2,000 for their school’s art department. Visit thankateacherva.com for all the details.

Made in Virginia

In celebration of the Lottery's 30th birthday in 2018, the Made in Virginia campaign was designed to highlight amazing people who were educated in Virginia’s public schools. Four winners were selected to be featured in statewide Virginia Lottery commercials, and each was able to choose a Virginia public school to receive $9,000 in cash from the Lottery and school supplies from our partners at The Supply Room. Visit www.madeinvirginia.com to see their stories!

Making a Difference

To further support public education, the Lottery has created a program that gives Lottery employees an opportunity to volunteer for up to 32 hours during a school year. This initiative focuses on Title 1 schools that benefit from the extra set of hands. Employees volunteer in a variety of ways from serving as lunch buddies to assisting in the classroom.

Super Teacher (2008 – 2017)

This grassroots effort, which debuted in 2008, was designed to spotlight amazing educators across Virginia who demonstrate passion, innovation, collaboration, and creativity in the classroom. Nominations were accepted from anyone 18 or older. A blue-ribbon panel of judges selected eight educators, one from each geographic region of the state, to win $2,000 cash from the Virginia Lottery and a $2,000 classroom supply credit from The Supply Room. Over the years, we’ve recognized not only traditional classroom teachers but also music, art, physical education and special needs educators.