VIRGINIA - The famed artist Pablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist.” That's why the Virginia Lottery, in partnership with Virginia PTA, has launched its fourth annual Thank a Teacher Art Contest.
The contest kicked off on December 14. All K-12 students who are enrolled in Virginia’s public schools - whether virtual or face-to face - are encouraged to create artwork and enter it into the contest for the chance to have the artwork appear on thank-you notes that will be handed out to thousands of teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week in May 2021.
Submissions will be accepted online herefrom now until February 1, 2021. Winners will be selected at three levels: Elementary, middle and high school.
The school that each winner attends will receive $1,000 from The Supply Room and $1,000 from the Virginia Lottery. The winning artists will receive a $150 Visa® gift card in addition to having the winning original artwork featured on virtual thank-you notes given out across Virginia.
“Each year, we are blown away by the talent of Virginia’s youngest artists, and we are excited to launch this program during a school year like no other,” said Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall. “It’s our mission to benefit Virginia’s K-12 public schools, and now more than ever before, this contest provides an excellent opportunity to thank Virginia’s teachers for their remarkable creativity and commitment to their students. These personalized thank-you notes provide a unique way to celebrate student artists and express gratitude to remarkable teachers.”
Last year, the Lottery virtually surprised the three student winners: Sarah Keith, a fourth grader at Potomac Elementary School in King George County; Alaina Carnahan, a sixth grader at Oak Hill Elementary School in Fairfax County; and Tiana Carter, a senior at Chesterfield Career and Technical Center - Courthouse in Chesterfield County. Their artwork was shared on more than 5,000 digital thank-you notes as part of the 2020 Thank a Teacher campaign.
To date, Virginians have sent more than 100,000 thank-you notes through the Thank a Teacher campaign. Those notes each include a unique web code that teachers can use to enter for a chance to win a Virginia-themed vacation.
Entries for the art contest will be judged by a blue-ribbon panel of various members of the arts community in Virginia, and winning designs will be revealed in March.
For more information about the Thank a Teacher Art Contest eligibility requirements, design criteria, prize structure and submission guidelines, click here.
