Teacher Wins $2,500 From the Virginia Lottery, School Receives $2,500 Credit From The Supply Room Through Thank a Teacher

RICHMOND, Va. (May 15, 2026) – Thousands of Virginia educators received a thank‑you note this spring through the Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher campaign. For one Virginia teacher, that note came with much more.

Nicolette Dishman, a first-grade teacher at New London Academy in Bedford County, was randomly selected as a Thank a Teacher grand prize winner, receiving $2,500 in cash from the Virginia Lottery and its partners, Brightstar Lottery and NeoPollard Interactive. In addition, New London Academy will receive a $2,500 credit for school supplies from program partner The Supply Room.

The winning entry was selected from thousands of teachers statewide who entered the drawing using a unique code found on their Thank a Teacher thank‑you note. The Virginia Lottery and its partners surprised Dishman with the news during a special presentation at the school on May 21, 2026.

“Teachers shape lives in ways that extend far beyond the classroom,” said Jennifer Mullen, deputy executive director of Communications and Customer Relations at the Virginia Lottery. “Through Thank a Teacher, we have the privilege of shining a spotlight on the educators who inspire, support, and empower students every day. Since the program began, Virginians have come together to send more than one million messages of appreciation, and this year alone, a record 225,650 thank‑you notes were delivered to teachers across the Commonwealth. We’re proud to recognize Nicolette Dishman and celebrate the entire school community that benefits from her dedication.”

The Thank a Teacher campaign is held in conjunction with National Teacher Appreciation Week and invites Virginians to send thank‑you notes to K–12 public school teachers across the Commonwealth. Each note — available in both print and digital formats — includes original artwork created by Virginia students through the annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest and features a unique code that gives teachers the opportunity to enter the prize drawing.

Since launching in 2016, the Thank a Teacher program has delivered more than one million thank‑you notes to public school educators statewide and has recognized more than two dozen teachers with prizes.

The Thank a Teacher program is made possible through a partnership between the Virginia Lottery, Brightstar Lottery, NeoPollard Interactive, and The Supply Room, and reflects the Lottery’s ongoing commitment to supporting K‑12 public education in Virginia.

All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 public education in Virginia. Bedford County Public Schools received more than $7.3 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Lottery generated more than $901 million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget. For more information about the Thank a Teacher program, visit www.thankateacherva.com.