Teacher's thank you note turns into surprise cash windfall and school supply jackpot — US dollars bundle close up isolated on dollar background. Paper denominations of dollars cash rolls with rubber bands. Business budget of wealth and prosperity finance. Pile capital of American US dollars bills notes cash

Virginia first-grade teacher wins $2.5K as her school scores classroom supplies

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. — What began as a simple thank-you message ended with a surprise celebration for a Virginia first-grade teacher who was awarded cash and school supplies after being selected as a statewide grand prize winner.

Lori Truoccolo, a first-grade teacher at Chancellor Elementary School in Spotsylvania County, was named a grand prize winner in the Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher campaign.

The Virginia Lottery announced that Truoccolo received a $2,500 cash prize through the program, which is supported by Brightstar Lottery and NeoPollard Interactive.

In addition, Chancellor Elementary School will receive a $2,500 credit for school supplies through program partner The Supply Room.

Lottery officials said the winning entry was randomly selected from thousands submitted by teachers across Virginia. Educators entered the drawing using a unique code included with Thank a Teacher notes sent during the annual appreciation campaign.

Truoccolo learned she had won during a surprise presentation at the school on Tuesday.

The Thank a Teacher campaign is held each year in conjunction with National Teacher Appreciation Week and encourages Virginians to send messages of appreciation to K-12 public school teachers throughout the Commonwealth.

According to the Virginia Lottery, a record 225,650 thank-you notes were delivered to teachers statewide this year.

Since the program launched in 2016, more than one million thank-you notes have been sent to Virginia educators, and more than two dozen teachers have received prize awards through the initiative.

The program is supported by the Virginia Lottery, Brightstar Lottery, NeoPollard Interactive, and The Supply Room.

The Virginia Lottery noted that all lottery profits support K-12 public education across the state. Spotsylvania County Public Schools received more than $19.7 million in lottery funding during the previous fiscal year.

Key Points

Spotsylvania teacher Lori Truoccolo won a $2,500 Virginia Lottery Thank a Teacher grand prize
Chancellor Elementary School received a $2,500 school supply credit
More than 225,000 thank-you notes were delivered to Virginia teachers this year

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Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

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Quigley is committed to responsible journalism, emphasizing accuracy, source verification, and transparency in every story she reports. She strives to present information in a clear and accessible manner, helping readers better understand the issues, decisions, and events that impact their daily lives.

Through her work at Shore News Network, Chris Quigley contributes to the organization's mission of providing trusted local news coverage, accountability reporting, and community-focused journalism throughout New Jersey.

Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

Degrees: Business B.A. - Stockton University

Experience and interests: Criminal Justice, Business, Animal Care, Entertainment, Lottery News, Local News