Idaho Lottery grants classroom wishlist, delivers over 500 books to local school
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REXBURG — The Idaho Lottery made a special visit to a local school Tuesday and gifted a classroom with over 500 new books, reading furniture and book storage.
“I was really fortunate. I think I sobbed when I opened the email that said that I received this, and I was just beyond ecstatic,” said Remi Burton, a third-grade teacher at Hibbard Elementary School.
Burton said she filled out an application from the Idaho Lottery’s website for a ‘Classroom Wishlist.’
“This is the third year now for Classroom Wishlists. It’s gaining tremendous popularity around the state of Idaho but we find that teachers always have needs and there are some really great projects that if we can help fill that as part of our mission, then it’s certainly beneficial to everyone in the state of Idaho,” said David Workman, Idaho Lottery spokesman.
The Classroom Wishlist is all part of the Idaho Lottery’s “Do Good” initiative that supports public education. According to Workman, the Idaho Lottery awards up to $10,000 in projects each month to classrooms in need across Idaho.
Burton received $4,845, which was used to get 556 books, baskets and cubbies for easy storage and seating to create a nice reading environment for her students.
Her students opened boxes of books delivered by the Idaho Lottery on Tuesday, and many were seen jumping around, smiling, and saying, “This is the best day ever!”
Burton said this would help with a reading challenge she gives her students every year to expose them to different books.
“I issue a challenge to my students called the 20 book challenge where they have to go in and read from various genres and document each book that they read,” said Burton. “I am just so excited to have these resources for my students to be successful.”
Workman said that any teacher could fill out an application for a Classroom Wishlist on the Idaho Lottery website. Click here for details.
He said he enjoyed seeing the students receive the books.
“What an exciting opportunity to see the happiness on all of those students’ faces!” Workman said.
