Artistic thank-you notes are being given by the Virginia Lottery to express gratitude towards the teachers of the state.
The sixth annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest by the VA Lottery received an impressive number of nearly 700 entries. After careful consideration, the lottery selected three winners, one each from elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. The winning artwork will be showcased on thank-you notes, which will be sent to over 200,000 Virginia teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week from May 8 to May 12.
The winners include Leah Salzberg from Brownsville Elementary, Allie Beatley from Grafton Middle, and Vaidehi Murthy from Deep Run High.
About the Virginia Lottery Thank a Teacher Art Contest
The annual Thank a Teach contest is organized by the Virginia Lottery in collaboration with The Supply Room, IGT, and NeoPollard Interactive. Students from kindergarten to twelfth grade can participate by submitting their artwork to the contest. A total of three winners are chosen from each level, namely elementary, middle school, and high school. The Virginia Lottery’s judging panel, consisting of various members, is responsible for selecting the winning artwork.
- Peggy Wood serves as the Executive Secretary for the Virginia Art Education Association.
- Gina Patterson serves as the Executive Director of the Virginia School Board Association.
- Wade Whitehead, an executive director at the Teachers of Promise Institute and a teacher in Roanoke City, was honored as the 2011 Virginia Lottery Super Teacher.
- Amber Kuper, an art teacher from Chesterfield County, was awarded the prestigious title of 2013 Virginia Lottery Super Teacher.
Salzberg, Beatley, and Murthy were all awarded a $200 gift card each for their contributions. Furthermore, The Supply Room generously granted each of their schools $1,000 for their art departments, and an additional $1,000 was donated by the VA Lottery.
Kelly Gee, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, expressed the importance of teachers in the Lottery’s mission to aid K-12 public education in Virginia. Gee stated that they appreciate the chance to honor teachers for their dedication through the Thank a Teacher campaign. Additionally, Gee mentioned the significance of showcasing meaningful artwork on the thank-you notes, and expressed excitement in recognizing three talented public school artists from Virginia with an award.
How Virginia gambling revenue helps the state
The Virginia Lottery, which oversees the gambling industry in the state, plays a significant role in benefiting Virginia in various ways. One of its notable initiatives is the Thank a Teacher Art Contest, a relatively modest program that exemplifies how the state’s gambling regulatory body actively fosters a sense of community and invests in its residents.
In the Commonwealth, those holding permits for online gambling are required to pay 15% of their monthly revenue as taxes. Out of this amount, 2.5% is allocated to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, while the remaining 97.5% is directed towards the state’s General Fund. Subsequently, these funds are channeled into various resources and programs. Currently, Virginia offers a total of 16 online sportsbooks for its residents.
Virginia generated approximately $42.1 million in adjusted gross revenue in January 2025, resulting in around $6.4 million in tax revenue. Out of this, the General Fund received $6.2 million, while the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund received $159,222.
Furthermore, the funds generated by the Virginia Lottery make up roughly 10% of the state’s total education budget.
Take into account the origins of the three winners of the Thank a Teacher Art Contest and the amount of money those regions received in the lottery fund during the previous fiscal year.
- Albemarle County, where Brownsville Elementary is located, has received a funding of over $4.6 million.
- Grafton Middle: York County’s proud owner of over $5.38 million.
- Henrico County, the proud residence of Deep Run High, boasts an impressive sum of over $33.6 million.
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