Virginia Lottery's Thank a Teacher Campaign Returns

RICHMOND, Va. (October 20, 2025) – The Virginia Lottery, in partnership with The Supply Room, is thrilled to announce the launch of the 9th annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest, celebrating the creativity of Virginia’s K-12 public school students and the educators who inspire it.

The Lottery will accept submissions online at thankateacherva.com starting Monday, October 20, 2025. K-12 public school students across Virginia are invited to submit original artwork. The contest closes on Monday, February 2, 2026, so there’s plenty of time to dream big and draw bold!

One winner will be selected from each grade level—elementary, middle, and high school.  Student winners will receive a $200 Visa gift card, and their school will be awarded $2,000 in supplies from The Supply Room to support even more artistic expression. The three winning pieces of art will also be featured on the 2026 Thank a Teacher thank-you notes, distributed across the state during National Teacher Appreciation Week in May. PTAs and other school groups can preorder their thank-you notes now through March 27, 2026, here. 

Last year, the Lottery surprised the three student winners: Avalyn Church, a 5th grader at Belle Heth Elementary School in Radford; Riley Rodriguez, an 8^th grader at Edward Drew Middle School in Greensville County; and Allie Beatley, a 9th grader at Grafton High School in York County. Their artwork was shared on more than 200,000 digital and printed thank-you notes as part of the record-breaking 2025 Thank a Teacher campaign.

Let your imagination shine and show your appreciation for the teachers who inspire you every day. 

The Thank a Teacher Art Contest is a statewide campaign organized by the Virginia Lottery in partnership with The Supply Room. Following the announcement of the art contest winners, students, parents, and the general public are encouraged to send thank-you notes to Virginia’s public school teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. To date, Virginians have sent more than 700,000 thank-you notes. Those notes each include a unique web code that teachers can use to enter for a chance to win $2,500 in supplies from The Supply Room and $2,500 in cash from the Virginia Lottery and its partners Brightstar and NPi. 

All Virginia Lottery profits go to K-12 public education in Virginia. 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 a complete list of Lottery funds distributed to Virginia school districts, visit the Virginia Lottery’s Giving Back page. For general information or to play games online, visit the Virginia Lottery’s website or download the Lottery’s app. Connect with the Lottery on Facebook, X, Instagram, or YouTube.

With all gaming, please play responsibly.