The Thank a Teacher program began in 2016 with a simple but meaningful goal: to thank as many K-12 public school teachers in Virginia as possible during National Teacher Appreciation Week each May. Through the program, Virginia residents can send heartfelt thank-you notes - designed by students and distributed by the Virginia Lottery - to their favorite teachers, giving them the chance to win cash from the Lottery and its partners at Brightstar Lottery and NeoPollard Interactive, as well as school supplies from The Supply Room. In May 2026, Virginians helped us surpass one million thank-you notes sent statewide since the program's inception.
Over the years, Thank a Teacher has grown to include even more ways to celebrate educators. Since 2018, the Thank a Teacher Art Contest invites Virginia's budding student artists to showcase their creativity for a chance to have their artwork featured on that year's thank-you notes. Each fall, K-12 public school students submit artwork that expresses appreciation for the educators in their lives. Winning students receive a $200 gift card from the Virginia Lottery and their schools win $2,000 in art supplies from The Supply Room.
