Virginia Lottery to Honor Outstanding Educators With Super Teacher Awards

Nominations Now Being Sought

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There are teachers – and then there are "Super Teachers."  The Virginia Lottery and the Virginia PTA are planning to honor local teachers who meet that distinction.  The third annual Virginia Lottery Super Teacher awards will help shine a spotlight on a valuable Virginia resource: dedicated and talented public school teachers who really make a difference in shaping young lives.  

The Lottery is seeking nominations for any K-12 Virginia public school teacher for the Super Teacher awards.  Eight winners, one from each of eight geographic regions of the state, will be chosen.  Each award consists of a prize of $2,000 and an additional $2,000 classroom credit from Virginia-based The Supply Room Companies.  The winners will be selected by a panel of distinguished educators and community leaders, including:

• Dr. Billy Cannaday, Jr., Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at UVA, former State Superintendent for Public Instruction
• Dr. Jo Lynne DeMary, Director, Center for School Improvement, VCU School of Education, former State Superintendent for Public Instruction
• Hon. Jim Dyke, Partner, McGuire Woods, former Secretary of Education for Virginia
• Debi Abadie, President of the Virginia PTA
• Shannon Knight, 2009 Super Teacher Award Recipient, Holland Elementary School, Virginia Beach

Anyone 18 or older can nominate a teacher by completing a nomination form and writing a short essay.  Official rules and nomination forms are available at www.valottery.com.   Nominations can be submitted either online or through mail.  Nominations must be postmarked by March 5, 2010.  The winners will then be selected on the strength of their nominations.  Winners will be announced between April 19 and June 1 in the winning teacher's hometown.  

"Our partners, the Virginia PTA and The Supply Room Companies, have made it possible for us to continue this program a third year and award eight new, deserving teachers with the Super Teacher designation," said Otto. "With more than 1,200 Super Teacher nominations last year, we are excited to see what this year will bring.  We expect plenty of compelling nomination essays."

SOURCE Virginia Lottery