Chesterfield teacher wins Virginia-themed vacation before retiring

CHESTERFIELD Co., Va. (WWBT) -One Chesterfield County middle school teacher received a big prize as thanks from the Virginia Lottery.

Joanne Stanley, an English and gifted education teacher at Swift Creek Middle School in Midlothian, won a Virginia-themed vacation valued at $2,500 and a gift card courtesy of the Virginia Lottery and its partners, IGT and NeoPollard Interactive.

The school where Stanley teaches, Swift Creek Middle School, will receive $2,500 in supplies from The Supply Room.

Stanley’s name was drawn in the prize drawing from nearly 7,000 entries submitted by teachers who entered a unique code from their thank-you notes.

The Virginia Lottery and its partners gathered to surprise Stanley at her school with the good news on Friday, May 26, Stanley’s last day of teaching before retiring. She now has a choice of taking a Virginia-themed winery and brewery vacation or a health and wellness vacation.

This year over 68,000 thank-you notes were sent to Virginia K-12 public school teachers by their students, parents or other Virginians. The cards, which could be hard-copy or electronic, each had one of three pieces of artwork designed by Virginia elementary, middle and high school students who won the Thank a Teacher Art Contest.

When teachers receive the thank-you notes, they could use a unique web code on the message to enter for a chance to win the grand prize.

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