Now entering its 12th year, Thank a Teacher continues to celebrate and support Virginia's K-12 public school teachers in a big way - recently surpassing one million thank-you notes sent statewide.

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, helping them earn cash prizes from the Lottery and its partners at Brightstar Lottery and NeoPollard Interactive and school supplies from The Supply Room.

Over the years, Thank a Teacher has grown to include even more ways to celebrate educators. Each fall, 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. In its first 11 years, the program distributed more than one million thank-you notes and awarded 22 public school teachers across the Commonwealth with prizes including Virginia vacations, gift cards, cash awards, and classroom supplies.

In 2025, the program expanded again with the introduction of the Teachers' Lounge Makeover. In partnership with The Supply Room, one lucky school received a Teachers' Lounge Makeover valued at $7,500, creating a welcoming space for educators to recharge and connect. This new campaign will continue again in the fall.