Virginia Teacher Wins $2,500 in Lottery for Education

CHATHAM, Va. (WDBJ) – A Virginia teacher has won $2,500 from the Virginia Lottery during its annual “Thank a Teacher” campaign. Veronica Berrios, a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Chatham Elementary School, was randomly selected from nearly 25,000 entries.

The announcement came as a surprise to Berrios, who was informed in her classroom on May 22, the last day of school. Along with her winnings, Chatham Elementary will also receive $2,500 in supplies from the Supply Room.

This year marks the tenth iteration of the “Thank a Teacher” campaign, coinciding with National Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 5 to May 9. Virginia Lottery officials revealed that over 210,000 thank-you notes were sent to K-12 public school teachers by students, parents, and community members.

Each note featured artwork created by students from various Virginia schools. Jerry Devaul, spokesperson for the Virginia Lottery, noted that all profits from the lottery are directed to K-12 public education in the state.

During the last fiscal year, Pittsylvania County Public Schools received more than $9.3 million in Lottery funds. In Fiscal Year 2024, the lottery generated over $934 million, contributing approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget.