Thank a Teacher started in 2016 with one goal: to thank as many K-12 public school teachers in Virginia as possible during National Teacher Appreciation Week in May. With thank-you notes designed by students and distributed by the Virginia Lottery, Virginia’s residents can thank their favorite public school teachers and help them win a cash prize and supplies for their schools from Supply Room.

Since its start, the program has grown to include an Art Contest each fall, where Virginia’s budding student-artists show off their skills for a chance to be featured on that year’s Thank a Teacher thank-you notes. Over the last ten years, the Thank a Teacher program has distributed more than 500,000 thank-you notes and awarded over a dozen of the Commonwealth’s public school teachers with prizes like Virginia vacations, gift cards, cash prizes, and school supplies.

Meet last year’s winning teachers

A closer look at the calendar

Important Dates