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Thousands of Virginia educators received thank-you notes in the Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher campaign, but one lucky Franklin teacher received much more. Sally Drake, a third-grade teacher at SP Morton Elementary School, won $2,500, courtesy of the Virginia Lottery and its partners, IGT and NeoPollard Interactive. Additionally, the school will receive $2,500 in supplies from The Supply Room.

Drake’s name was randomly selected from nearly 17,000 entries submitted by teachers who entered a special code from their thank-you notes. Representatives from the Virginia Lottery and its partners surprised Drake at her school on June 10 to deliver the good news.

The ninth annual award-winning Thank a Teacher campaign coincided with National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10). This year, over 130,000 thank-you notes were sent to Virginia K-12 public school teachers by students, parents, and other Virginians. Each note featured artwork designed by Virginia elementary, middle, and high school students who won the Thank a Teacher Art Contest.

Teachers receiving these thank-you notes could enter a unique web code for a chance to win the grand prize. The Thank a Teacher campaign, a partnership between the Virginia Lottery, The Supply Room, IGT, and NeoPollard Interactive, aims to celebrate teachers whose hard work and inspiration make a difference in students’ lives. Over the last eight years, the program has recognized 18 educators across the state.

All Virginia Lottery profits support K-12 public education in Virginia. Last fiscal year, Franklin received more than $1.5 million in Lottery funds. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Lottery generated over $867 million for K-12 education, representing approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget.

Lottery proceeds fund programs such as Early Reading Intervention, Mentor Teachers, K-3 Primary Class Size Reduction, School Breakfast, Algebra Readiness, Regional Alternative Education, and Career and Technical Education, based on priorities set by the governor and General Assembly each year.

For a complete list of Lottery funds distributed to Virginia school districts, visit the Virginia Lottery’s Giving Back page. Connect with the Lottery on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. Please play responsibly.