2024 CW Peregrine Elementary Osler
Date: January 2025
School: Peregrine Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Transformation
Teacher Lisa Osler says "Keeping learning fun by surprising kids with classroom transformations. A couple days a year, they will arrive at school... or so they thought! Their classroom will be transformed into a construction zone, donut shop, restaurant, or glow room! As they read about their projects and use their tools to solve challenges throughout the day, they will have the full, immersive experience They will have a chance to be an electrician, a framer, and a flooring installer as they use their area, perimeter, measurement and data skills. In another transformation, students will GLOW with the skills they have acquired over the year. The classroom will be decked out in neon with black lights to guide the way. Fifth graders are learning to love reading. Another day, they will find a restaurant with a book tasting to learn which genres please their palates. They will use their knowledge of decimals to create menus and calculate prices. Classroom makeover days renew the love of learning through project based learning."
Wish Amount: $1,784
2024 CW Victory Middle Bollinger
Date: January 2025
School: Victory Middle
Wish Delivered: Library Software
Teacher Melissa Bollinger says "I am the librarian at VMS and would like to “up my game” when it comes to the multiple reading challenges we facilitate each year by purchasing a software program called Beanstack (www.beanstack.com). Beanstack motivates readers with fun, diverse, and engaging reading challenges while strengthening the intrinsic motivation to read with proven gamification features. This software allows the librarian (or teachers) to create digital quizzes/forms/projects connected to reading and then reward individual students when they hit predetermined milestones (either # of pages read or possibly # of minutes read/day) with badges. You can also organize a building-wide goal to work toward, or even set up classroom competitions through Advisory classes or homerooms. There are truly SO MANY possibilities with this software to create a digital way to track reading and reward student efforts!"
Wish Amount: $2287
Idaho Lottery Commission Meeting - January 16, 2025
2024 CW Central Academy McConnell
Date: January 2025
School: Central Academy
Wish Delivered: Books
Teacher Chenin McConnell says "I am hoping to get several new book titles for the Central Academy library. Funding is limited for book purchases and I am still relatively new to the role of librarian. I am hoping to purchase books that are new and interesting to the teens in my school building. I'm hoping to get some new books both fiction and nonfiction that are high interest and popular with teens. In getting new books, I am hoping to promote them and get them into the hands of students in hopes of increasing the culture of reading at my school. I want students to come into the library and be able to access new books and perhaps open their eyes to the wonders that reading can provide."
Wish Amount: $587.20
2024 Winning Million Dollar Raffle Tickets Sold in Ada and Cassia Counties
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – Check your Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle tickets Ada and Cassia Counties! One lucky player in Ada County and another in Cassia County who purchased their Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle ticket there could be starting the year off as Idaho’s newest millionaires.
The Idaho Lottery has confirmed the top prize-winning tickets from the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle draw last night were sold from Idaho Lottery retailer locations in Ada and Cassia Counties. The winning number for one $1,000,000 prize 063647 and the winning number for the other $1,000,000 prize is 116293.
In addition to the top prize, the Idaho Lottery has also confirmed the two $10,000 winning tickets were also sold in Ada and Cassia Counties. The $10,000 winning ticket numbers are 139464 and 287203.
Players have 180 days from last night’s draw to claim prizes in the game. The $1,000,000 prizes, the two $10,000 prizes, and the $1,000 prizes must be claimed at Idaho Lottery Headquarters in Boise. No one has come forward yet to claim either of the $1,000,000 prizes or either of the two $10,000 prizes.
To check their tickets for winning numbers, players can visit idaholottery.com, call the winning numbers hotline at 208-334-4656, use the Idaho Lottery’s mobile app, or visit an Idaho Lottery retail location.
All prizes of $1,000 and higher must be claimed at Lottery Offices in Boise. Lottery Offices are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except observed holidays. The Lottery will be closed January 1, 2025, to celebrate New Year’s Day but reopens on January 2, 2025.
This year’s version of the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle returned over $1,500,000 to the Idaho Lottery’s beneficiaries, Idaho public schools and the State’s Permanent Building Fund.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
The Two, Million Dollar Winning Numbers from the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – Two lucky Idaho Lottery winning tickets are now worth a guaranteed $1,000,000! The Idaho Lottery announced the winning numbers from the sold-out, 2024 version of the popular Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle shortly before 6 PM Mountain Time this evening. And this year’s two, $1,000,000 winning numbers, in the order drawn, are:
0 6 3 6 4 7
and
1 1 6 2 9 3
In addition to the two, $1,000,000 prizes, this year’s game offered more prizes than any previous Raffle game, including two, $10,000 prizes, 150 prizes of $100, 300 prizes of $50, 2900 prizes of $25, and 14,500 prizes of $15.
For all 17,854 prizes, players can check their tickets for winners at idaholottery.com, by calling the Idaho Lottery Winning Numbers Hotline (208-334-4656), using the Idaho Lottery’s free, mobile Check-a-Ticket app, or by visiting an Idaho Lottery retail location.
All winning tickets of $1,000 or higher in this game must be claimed at Lottery offices in Boise. Players will have 180 days after the draw on December 30, 2024, to claim their prizes. Idaho Lottery offices are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays. Players may also mail their winning tickets to Lottery Offices for payment. All other prizes may be claimed at Idaho Lottery retail locations.
The Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle generated more than $1,500,000 in dividend revenue to benefit Idaho public schools and buildings this year.
# # #
ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.4 billion in products, awarded more than $3.1 billion in prizes to players, returned $317 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.189 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Lottery to Announce 2024’s Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle Winning Numbers Tonight
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle is the Idaho Lottery’s most anticipated game of the year. The 18th edition of the game was on sale for just 47 days, delivering a sell-out of all 450,000 tickets in early December. This is the tenth time the game has sold before Christmas.
Tonight, two lucky Idaho Lottery tickets will be worth $1,000,000 when the Idaho Lottery announces the winning numbers for the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle tonight at 5:59 pm Mountain Time.
“Having two, one-million-dollar prizes guaranteed in our annual Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle has really amped up the interest of Idahoans,” said Andrew Arulanandam, Idaho Lottery Director. “We thank all players and retailers who made this game a success for the noble and worthy causes who benefit from Idaho Lottery sales. A friendly reminder to the players holding Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle tickets: please sign your tickets and keep them in a safe place until claiming their prize.”
This year’s Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle game also offers over 17,850 prizes, the most of any Raffle game, including two, $10,000 prizes, 150 prizes of $100, 300 prizes of $50, 2900 prizes of $25, and 14,500 prizes of $15.
For all prizes, players can check their tickets for winners tonight at idaholottery.com, by calling the Idaho Lottery Winning Numbers Hotline (208-334-4656), using the Idaho Lottery’s mobile app, or by visiting an Idaho Lottery retail location.
When visiting the Idaho Lottery’s website (idaholottery.com), players will see the Raffle Results banner on the home page. The winning numbers for the two, $1,000,000 prizes will be posted there. Players can enter their Raffle numbers in the check numbers box, then click on “Check” to see if they have a winner. Also, all winning numbers will be available for download in a pdf format from a link available on the Raffle web page.
This year’s game also featured eighteen, $1,000 prizes mid-game for players who purchased one of the 25000th tickets. There were 15 daily $1,000 winners during the first 15 days of sales. All players are encouraged to check their tickets for these promotion winners manually by visiting idaholottery.com.
The following is a current list of $1,000 winning tickets that remain unclaimed from this year’s Raffle:
014607
030554
041333
061340
083502
089554
097483
109798
124882
140188
147774
161894
173318
175000
300000
450000
All winning tickets of $1,000 or higher in this game must be claimed at Lottery offices in Boise. Players will have 180 days after the draw on December 30, 2024, to claim their prizes. Idaho Lottery offices are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays. Players may also mail their winning tickets to Lottery Offices for payment. All other prizes may be claimed at Idaho Lottery retail locations.
The Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle generated more than $1,500,000 in dividend revenue to benefit Idaho public schools and buildings this year.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Million Dollar Feeling
Ahadi Kamulete asked his supervisor to leave work early one Tuesday afternoon in December because he had a feeling.
“I work hard. I never take time off. I never leave early,” said Kamulete. “But I had a feeling all day that I needed to buy a lottery ticket.”
His supervisor granted his request and Kamulete soon found himself at certainly the luckiest store in Idaho, and possibly the luckiest store in America: Jacksons #10 on Orchard at I-84 in Boise.
Once there, he bought two of the $50 tickets for the game $1,000,000 Cash and didn’t win. “I just felt like I had to buy another one,” he said as he bought a third ticket. He only scratched the barcode, scanned it, and saw it was a winner. The vending machine instructed Kamulete to contact the Idaho Lottery office. He confirmed that instruction from the clerk at Jacksons.
Believing he’d only won $500, twenty minutes later (and ten minutes before the Lottery Office closed for the day), Kamulete walked into the Idaho Lottery lobby with his winning ticket. He had never played it out.
Idaho Lottery Customer Service scanned the ticket and informed him he had won $1,000,000 – the game’s top prize. Kamulete immediately fell to his knees with excitement. When he stood, he exclaimed repeatedly, “I’m rich! I’m rich! I’m rich!”
Originally from The Congo, Kamulete recently moved to Idaho from South Dakota to work at a meat plant in Boise. He plans to at least buy himself a new car with his winnings.
Jacksons #10 in Boise is the only store in America to ever sell TWO jackpot winning tickets on Powerball. In addition, the store has sold a $200,000 top scratch winner, a $300,000 top scratch winner, and now this $1,000,000 top prize on the Scratch game $1,000,000 Cash.
Idaho Lottery Joins 2024 Gift Responsibly Campaign to Raise Awareness of Youth Gambling Risks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Lottery today announced its commitment as a Level 2 participant of the 2024 Gift Responsibly Campaign, joining lotteries and community organizations across North America and around the world to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery use. The campaign is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and supported by North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).
“Thanks to our vigilant retailers and the efforts of the Idaho Lottery, our state is fortunate that underaged gaming is not an issue,” said Andrew Arulanandam, Idaho Lottery Director. “Nevertheless, we support this national effort because it dovetails with our year-round Play Wise initiative that provides resources to ensure Idahoans of age play responsibly.”
The Idaho Lottery works with its network of 1200 retailers to provide strict security measures to safeguard against underage youth purchasing Lottery products. All Lottery vending machines must be placed within eyesight of a store employee. Vending machines are also under constant video surveillance. In addition, retail clerks are trained to check for photo identification before completing a sale. Redeeming all taxable winning prizes must be done at the Idaho Lottery office and must include photo identification and age verification.
“Idaho law is very clear that you must be 18 years old to buy, sell, or redeem Lottery products,” added Arulanandam. “We take this matter seriously. Our products are entertaining, but also age controlled. Many people gift our games during the holidays to friends, family, and co-workers. We want to remind everyone to enjoy playing and to please gift responsibly.”
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Christmas Miracle
The Holiday season is long associated with tales of the miraculous. Whether its tales of St. Nicholas or tales from faith, this Christmas, Steven Giovanazzi of Pingree is a believer.
“I felt God was mad at me,” Steven started his story about how he became a big Idaho Lottery winner. “To make me feel better about that, my wife suggested we head to Pocatello and make some donations to charity. So, we did. On our way home, we needed gas for the truck, so we stopped at a store in Chubbuck. I told my wife I had a feeling I needed to buy a lottery ticket.”
The couple stopped at the Stinker Store located on Pheasant Ridge and Hiline in Chubbuck. Once inside the store, Steven made a deliberate choice about which Scratch ticket to play. He picked out and purchased a couple of the $5 Merry 7s. While this game features Santa proudly standing before a giant seven, that was not the reason for choosing it. “Seven was Jesus’ number, so I picked that game,”
“We celebrated an event on Saturday at my church, to coincide with the re-opening of the Cathedral of Norte Dame in Paris,” explained the purple heart recipient and Vietnam Veteran.
That was also the day he played and won the top prize of $77,777 on his Merry 7s Scratch ticket.
On the following Monday, Steven visited the Idaho Lottery offices and claimed his $77,777 prize from winning Merry 7s.
And while he was waiting for his check, Steven played the vending machine in the Lottery’s lobby. He bought ten tickets and won $134 total from seven of them.
As he left, he said he did not have immediate plans for his winnings other than to visit St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Boise to pay his respects.
And yes, Steven, Christmas miracles do happen.
Centerville Man Wins $80,000 on “Lucky” Friday the 13th
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – Friday the 13th brought nothing but luck for Grant Toomer from Centerville, Utah. On Friday before a crowd of family onlookers, holiday shoppers, and well-wishers at Boise Towne Square, Grant got to spin the big wheel and won $80,000 from the Idaho Lottery’s Scratch Game, The Big Spin!
“Today is just another day,” said Toomer at first. But after winning $80,000 from his spin, he changed his tune. “Maybe today is a lucky day!”
Grant’s wife visits Idaho Lottery retailer The Chat ‘n Chew in Malad once every five weeks. She buys her Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, then plays Scratch games while having lunch. Just before Thanksgiving, she made the trek north from Centerville and returned home with a few Big Spin tickets for Grant to play. One of those tickets turned out to be the fourth big winner from the fourth edition of the Big Spin.
“We’re looking at visiting family in the south and possibly taking a river cruise,” said Grant about what he and his wife might do with their winnings.
Two top prizes remain in the fourth edition of the popular Idaho Lottery game the Big Spin.
During this gift giving season, the Idaho Lottery would like to remind everyone who participates to gift Lottery tickets responsibly. You must be 18 years old to buy, sell, or redeem Lottery products in Idaho.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
2024 CW Ririe Elementary Dyorich
Date: December 2024
School: Ririe Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Supplies
Teacher Rebecca Dyorich says "In 6th grade, students are exploring interests and future opportunities. Coding is an unknown for many of our students. Ozobots are a fun way to access coding for a variety of ages. In groups of 2 or 3 working with an Ozobot students totally new to coding can use a marker to code their bot, intermediate students can use block coding, and more advanced students can use Python to code their bot and see immediate results of how their code is working. It allows multiple levels in the same class to interact with coding and learn. Our school has the 6th graders present STEM night and this year we would love to do a Coding based STEM night and have Ozobots available for the students to interact with as one of our stations."
Wish Amount: $2050
2024 CW Shoshone Elementary Chrisiansen
Date: December 2024
School: Shoshone Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Books
Teacher Denice Christiansen says "I am so excited for the opportunity that I have to work with our nearly 250 students. I visit every classroom each week and sometimes twice. We talk about leadership, emotions, perseverance, friendship and so much more. Reading to students and having great conversations with students are two of my all time favorite things. These books will help to reach students in a fun and exciting way regarding not only about the important and sometimes difficult topics. The Ninja Books are colorful, educational and a lot of fun. I am also so excited because these books are available in Spanish as well."
Wish Amount: $2247
THE STORY OF BEAUTY
One of the more inspiring Classroom Wishlist visits this fall was from the inspiring story of Beauty, a bald eagle who was shot illegally and rescued by Birds of Prey Northwest founder Jane Veltkamp. Misti Newby, the STEM teacher at Black Canyon Elementary School in Grace invited Veltkamp to give a raptor presentation to the students of the district in late October.
Beauty was the recipient of a revolutionary 3D-printed beak to replace the one she lost. Although Beauty was never able to return to the wild, she resided with Veltkamp for an additional 20 years. Jane wrote a book in 2017 about Beauty's inspiring story which became a best seller and won many national awards.
The STEM students at Black Canyon Elementary learned about the plight of Raptors living in the west from the presentation and made practical use of their 3-D printer attempting to replicate Beauty’s beak as a classroom project.
The Idaho Lottery Classroom Wishlist program helped with the fundraising for the Birds of Prey Northwest school assembly and presentation.
Here is a list of the current projects that will help schools to begin 2025:
- Glenns Ferry Elementary, Glenns Ferry – Photography equipment
- Highland School District, Craigmont – Classroom books
- Maple Grove Elementary, Boise – Classroom Seating
- Nampa High School, Nampa - Classroom Supplies
- Orofino Elementary, Orofino – Classroom furniture
- Orofino Jr/Sr High, Orofino – Whiteboard and whiteboard supplies
- Peregrine Elementary, Meridian - Classroom transformation
- Ponderosa Elementary, Meridian – New books and Sensory items
- Ririe Elementary, Ririe – Class supplies
- Rulon Ellis Elementary, Chubbuck – Sensory supplies
- South Fork Elementary, Rigby – Classroom Mailbox
- Syringa Middle School, Caldwell – Project supplies for every teacher
- Victory Middle School, Meridian – Library software
- Washington Elementary, Sandpoint – STEM equipment
2024 Raffle Sells Out! Winning Numbers Announced December 30
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – Two lucky Idaho Lottery players who participated in the 2024 Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle will begin the New Year as Idaho’s newest millionaires! All 450,000 tickets in the Idaho Lottery’s traditional holiday game, the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle, have been sold and the game has officially ended. The 450,000th ticket was sold Friday, December 6, 2024.
This year’s game was one of the fastest selling in the eighteen-year history of the Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle. After last year’s very successful game, the Idaho Lottery continued the game with two top prizes of $1,000,000.
It is the seventeenth sellout and the tenth time the game has sold out before Christmas.
“Having two, one-million-dollar prizes guaranteed has really captured the interest of Idaho Lottery players and retailers,” said Andrew Arulanandam, Idaho Lottery Director.
The winning numbers will be announced on Monday, December 30, 2024, at 5:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
“Our players enjoy giving these tickets as gifts during the holidays. This year, they could be gifting a ticket worth a guaranteed $1,000,000!” added Arulanandam.
Players will be able to view the winning announcement live on KTVB News Channel 7 in the Treasure Valley, KMVT Channel 11 in the Magic Valley, KPVI News 6 in eastern Idaho, and KLEW 3 in northern Idaho. Players can check their tickets for winning numbers at idaholottery.com, at all Idaho Lottery retail locations, on the Idaho Lottery information hotline at 208-334-4656, or by using the Idaho Lottery Check-a-Ticket app for their iPhone or Android phone.
Besides the guaranteed top prizes of $1,000,000, there are over 17,850 additional prizes ranging from $15 up to $10,000. This year’s game also featured eighteen, $1,000 prizes mid-game for players who purchased one of the 25000th tickets. There were 15 daily $1,000 winners during the first 15 days of sales. All players are encouraged to check their tickets for these promotion winners manually by visiting idaholottery.com.
All winning tickets of $1,000 and higher in this game must be claimed at Lottery offices in Boise. Players will have 180 days after the draw announcement on December 30, 2024, to claim their prizes.
This year’s Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle generated over $1.5 million for the Idaho Lottery’s beneficiaries, Idaho public schools and buildings.
During this gift giving season, the Idaho Lottery would like to remind everyone to gift Lottery tickets responsibly. You must be 18 years old to buy, sell, or redeem Lottery products in Idaho.
The following is a current list of $1,000 winning tickets that remain unclaimed from this year’s Raffle:
014607
030554
041333
061340
083502
089554
097483
109798
124882
140188
147774
161894
173318
175000
300000
450000
###
ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
2024 CW Shelley School District Loosli
Date: December 2024
School: Shelley School District
Wish Delivered: Classroom Books
Teacher Sydney Loosli says "I am excited to share our vision for fostering a love of learning in our classroom! We believe that reading is a gateway to imagination, knowledge, and critical thinking. To cultivate this passion, we are implementing a book club that will allow students to explore diverse stories, engage in meaningful discussions, and develop a deeper appreciation for literature."
Wish Amount: $1300
Evelyn Ruiz
2024 CW Rocky Mountain High Martinez
Date: December 2024
School: Rocky Mountain High School
Wish Delivered: American Sign Language Classroom Supplies
Teacher Bria Martinez says "American Sign Language is a visual language and with the supplies listed in the wish list, the games asked for will help with receptive and expressive practice, the dictionaries will help with research, and the books are to show that there ARE successful Deaf authors and people. In my classroom, I do my best to have representation of the language and culture appropriately displayed as much as possible."
Wish Amount: $1757.45
2024 CW Desert Sage Elementary Nestler
Date: December 2024
School: Desert Sage Elementary
Wish Delivered: Headphones for students
Teacher Nicole Nestler says "As second grade teachers, we are getting creative with ways to share the limited headphones we have. The other problem we are facing, is that many of the headphones are old, broken, don't fit our second grade students, and they don't work with our iReady/iStation tests. This gives our students an unfair disadvantage in state testing. We want to provide our students with headphones to give our disadvantaged students a fair chance at showing their best with their scores without the distraction of ill fitted headphones or headphones that wires are showing through."
Wish Amount: $720
2024 CW Summerwing Stem Burnstein
Date: December 2024
School: Summerwind STEM Academy
Wish Delivered: Listening equipment
Teacher Annette Burnstein says "These YOTO Players and cards will help with my station rotations for my students learning to read by listening to stories."
Wish Amount: $415.82
David Dahlberg
Victor Bernal
Jesse Mason
Juan Pichardo
Anita Roberts
Donavon Iverson
Wanda Novak
J Santiago Rodriguez
Bucks for Books Across Idaho
From Bear Lake’s windswept shores near Paris, to the rainy woodlands of north Idaho near Oldtown, from the neighborhood schools of Idaho Falls to the community school in Idaho City, the Idaho Lottery canvased the entire Gem State delivering books for young elementary school readers this November as part of their annual Bucks for Books campaign.
In total, 17 schools received $50,000 in awards for new book acquisition for elementary school libraries. In every school visited, the passion for reading, and working with young students to improve their literacy, was the same.
“We are a small mountain school that serves a lot of students who love reading. We have students who come in daily to get their new books after finishing one the night before. Especially now in the winter months, staying inside, being nice and warm and cozy by the fire reading, books are that bridge to experience different worlds,” said Tristin Taylor, Librarian at Basin Elementary in Idaho City whose small library is in the school’s basement. “This award means everything. A lot of our books have been well loved. I take a lot of them home to tape them and hot glue them back together as much as I can. It means the world to us and will make a huge difference. Thank you.”
In so many schools, the experience was similar.
In Oldtown, enthusiastic students and prolific readers cheered excitedly when the award was presented as the students eagerly helped their librarian to open the box of freshly delivered books.
At Temple View Elementary in Idaho Falls, the full school assembly cheered wildly at the opportunity of purchasing hundreds of new books for their library.
A young boy named Grayson triumphantly raised a new book he had requested that was part of the delivery at Rulon Ellis Elementary in Chubbuck.
Jennifer Simpson, the librarian at Hazel T. Stuart Elementary in Shelley hopes to fill her barren shelves with the new books that will soon arrive as the result of the award.
In Paris, a similar story continued. Elementary School Librarian Linda Stock had created a classic Harry Potter themed reading section, complete with floating candles that are wand activated. Her challenge, like so many others, was getting new books to her rural location.
“We appreciate the Idaho Lottery making the long trip to visit our small school and make us feel connected to the state and not forgotten. These books will have a huge impact on our students as they get to experience titles and stories they’ve been asking for and explore worlds beyond our community through their imagination,” said Stock.
Bucks for Books is a program offered between the Idaho Lottery and the Idaho
Commission for the Libraries. Now when its sixth year, the program has awarded 126 schools a total of $325,000 for new books and to improve early education literacy.
The program is one additional way the Idaho Lottery connects with its beneficiaries for improving public schools and education in Idaho.
Sixteen of the seventeen schools this year received $3,000 each for new book acquisition. McMillan Elementary in Boise received $2,000. Here is the list of this year’s Idaho recipients:
Basin Elementary, Idaho City
Declo Elementary, Declo
Falls Valley Elementary, Idaho Falls
Harwood Elementary, Rigby
Hazel T. Stuart Elementary, Shelley
Idaho Hill Elementary, Oldtown
J.R. Simplot Elementary, American Falls
Lakeside Elementary, Plummer
McMillan Elementary, Boise
Paris Elementary, Paris
Ririe Elementary, Ririe
River Valley Elementary, Meridian
Rockland Elementary, Rockland
Rulon Ellis Elementary, Chubbuck
Temple View Elementary, Idaho Falls
Valley Elementary, Rockland
Whitman Elementary, Lewiston
Martin Matias Vasquez
2024 CW Central Elementary Sharer
Date: November 2024
School: Central Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom books
Teacher Jennifer Sharer says "These resources are critical for enhancing our students' learning and engagement, especially as many come from challenging backgrounds and have limited access to educational materials at home. According to our math curriculum, we need rulers but they are not supplied for me. We need dice and dominoes for math games. Second graders learn advanced phonics skills so I've included a few books that highlight those phonics skills. Since I am coming from another district, I am adapting to my new school's policy about providing a "soft start" in the morning. The kids come into the classroom when they arrive at school and I am supposed to provide quiet learning activities for them until the bell rings. I have asked for different games or science toys that will help them focus their play time in an educational way, therefore preparing their brains for the day ahead."
Wish Amount: $750
2024 CW Butte View Madariage
Date: November 2024
School: Butte View Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Supplies
Teacher JacQuie Madariaga says "In 4th grade here at our elementary school, it is the first year the students are specifically taught Science with a curriculum as they need to master some things before taking the ISAT the next year. One of the hands-on activities I can provide is playing with circuits. There are circuits just for kids. They can build a circuit by following directions and then problem solve on why their circuit is working or not working. We specifically cover Energy and circuits in 4th grade and I would love for my classroom (I can share with the neighbor class) to play with circuits and learn more about them. These would be available for kids to play with all year round as well, so they can really grasp the complexity of energy and circuits."
Wish Amount: $2235
2024 North Glem Sndoval
Date: November 2024
School: North Gem Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Supplies
Teacher Alex Sandoval says "I I teach a unit on space and our atmosphere. This would provide the kids with a unique opportunity to build their own rocket and launch it. It correlates with our curriculum as we discuss space travel, build model solar systems, Learn about creating ecosystems on other planets such as mars. In addition, I am a STEM based teacher and this would allow me to bring more STEM into my classroom.
Wish Amount: $443.58
2024 CW Black Canyon Newby
Date: November 2024
School: Black Canyon Elementary
Wish Delivered: Class Trip
Teacher Misti Newby says "Beauty the Bald Eagle was shot, rescued, and fitted with a pioneering, 3D-printed prosthetic beak. She has been featured on Nat Geo WILD and in news stories worldwide. Janie Veltkamp travels with Beauty and several other rescued birds of prey, sharing their stories. I plan to use Classroom Wishlist funds to bring Janie and the Birds of the Pacific Northwest to our district. Grace is a remote and rural area in the southeast corner of Idaho, with a high population of students from low-income and Hispanic backgrounds. These students rarely travel beyond Pocatello and don’t have many opportunities to visit zoos or see exotic birds. I want to bring this unique experience to them.
Wish Amount: $1103
Idaho Lottery Announces Winners of Name That Scratch Game Contest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – What’s in name? For Gary Gaskill of Idaho Falls his winning entry into the Idaho Lottery’s Name that Scratch Game contest earned him $3,000 in Idaho Lottery Scratch tickets and his game name to become a new Idaho Lottery Scratch Game. His winning entry name was “Yeti to Party.”
The Idaho Lottery announced all three winners of their "Name That Scratch Game" contest, an engaging competition where participants submitted their creative ideas for new Scratch ticket game names. In addition to Gaskill, the other top winners who proposed fun and inventive game titles that captured the spirit of the Idaho Lottery were:
⦁ Jamie Jensen of Rathdrum who took second place with her clever game title “Cheddar Getter”, winning $2,000 in Scratch ticket prizes.
⦁ Jennifer Buseman of Middleton was the third-place winner with her out-of-this-world concept, “Cashtronaut”, securing $1,000 in Scratch ticket prizes.
The contest, which encouraged Idaho residents to think outside the box and come up with catchy names for potential new Scratch games from mid-September to mid-October, received over 14,000 thousand submissions, showcasing the creativity and enthusiasm of the Idaho Lottery’s dedicated players.
"We were thrilled with the number of submissions, the creativity, and the originality of the entries," said Sherie Moody-St. Clair. "The winning names reflect the fun and excitement that our Scratch games bring to players across the state. It was fun seeing people from all over the state coming together to share in the fun and become part of the Idaho Lottery family."
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
2024 CW Orofino Jenkins
Date: November 2024
School: Orofino Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Furniture
Teacher Deidre Jenkins says "Flexible seating will give my students a comfortable choice to read and work in the room. I have a larger class this year and seating is limited during group rotations. During reading, several of my students work with the reading interventionist in our classroom and have to sit on the floor during this time. I also prefer to offer my students comfortable seating during "Read to Self" time."
Wish Amount: $650.00
2024 CW Riggins Elementary Merabelle
Date: November 2024
School: Riggins Elementary
Wish Delivered: Books for Classroom
Teacher Laura Merabelle says "Currently right now I have one copy of each book that students may use for reference after we listen to the daily read aloud. I would like to have a copy for each student so that they can follow along and see the words and hear the words as a fluent reader reads, which helps students build fluency. Studies show that reading aloud helps build literacy development, comprehension, vocabulary, attention and memory skills, problem solving, critical thinking and imagination."
Wish Amount: $949.60
2024 CW Idaho Fine Arts Davis
Date: November 2024
School: Idaho Fine Arts
Wish Delivered: Chairs and books
Teacher Janna Davis says " I work with students in grades 6-12, and trying to have enough books to satisfy all of those readers is a significant challenge. With the furniture and new books, I will be able to create comfortable reading areas to pull kids into the library. Growing up, the library was a safe space for me, and I want to make sure all students feel like they have a place to go where they belong. A sense of belonging fosters success because students who feel like they belong also feel confident enough to take risks and increase learning."
Wish Amount: $1702.42
David White
Jacob Ryan Torrez
Antonio is In the Money
What started as a typical Saturday for Antonio Norato, Jerome, when he visited the Winco on Blue Lakes in Twin Falls turned into a $50,000 windfall after he bought and won the top winning ticket on the Idaho Lottery’s Scratch Game In the Money.
“I was at the store and thought maybe I’d try my luck with a $5 scratch ticket,” said Antonio of his decision to play the game. “I bought it Saturday but left it on the dash in my truck overnight. I remembered Sunday I had it and then played it. I hoped maybe I’d win $20.”
Antonio won the last top prize in the game.
“That’s a little more than $20!” said Antonio with a wide smile looking at the check for $50,000 at the Lottery’s office in Boise the next morning.
Antonio plans to put his winnings toward his house.
Antonio Norato
2024 CW Sherman kelsom
Date: November 2024
School: Sherman Elementary
Wish Delivered: 3D Printer and 3 D Scanner
Teacher Michelle Kelsom says "Often, students need to reverse engineer or replicate parts for projects, which is where the 3D scanner becomes essential. With the ability to scan real objects and integrate them into their designs, students can improve their engineering accuracy and develop a deeper understanding of how things work in the real world. Our upcoming STEM Showcase gives students the opportunity to display their engineering skills. Having access to both a 3D printer and scanner will elevate the quality of their projects, ensuring they are not just theoretical but fully realized, functional prototypes. This not only enhances their learning but also gives them confidence in their abilities as future engineers."
Wish Amount: $700
2024 CW River Valley Patchen
Date: November 2024
School: River Valley Elementary School
Wish Delivered: Table and Chairs
Teacher Chitlada Patchen says "This wishlist is for one folding table for a newly established classroom at River Valley Elementary School. This classroom will serve 35 multilingual learners throughout the day. Their ages range from kindergarten to fifth grade. These students are new to the United States. Many are without any formal school experience and illiterate in their own language with minimal English proficiency. The Newcomer classroom is to equip newcomer students with enough English to meet federal grade-level requirements. The goal is to help them move into the regular classroom with their native English-speaking peers as soon as possible. The folding table will serve as necessary furniture for students to write and work on during language activities."
Wish Amount: $706.80
Boise Christmas Show
Join us at the 2024 Boise Christmas Show December 6th - 8th at at Expo Idaho in Garden City! While you are there, buy one $20 Holiday Scratch Pack and SPIN THE WHEEL FOR PRIZES! Get all your holiday tickets for stockings, office gifts and more!
Friday: 11am-7pm
Saturday 11am-7pm
Sunday: 11am-4pm
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for Seniors, and FREE for kids 12 & under!
Get more info here: The Boise Christmas Show Produced by Spectra Productions
Canyon County Christmas Show
Join us at the 2024 Canyon County Christmas Show November 22nd;- 24th at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa! While you are there, buy one $20 Holiday Scratch Pack and SPIN THE WHEEL FOR PRIZES! Get all your holiday tickets for stockings, office gifts and more!
Friday: 11am-7pm
Saturday 11am-7pm
Sunday: 11am-4pm
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for Seniors, and FREE for kids 12 & under!
2024 CW Desert Sage Elementary
Date: November 2024
School: Desert Sage Elementary
Wish Delivered: 3D Printer
Teacher Rainbow Dye says "Last year we were able to bring in some STEM supplies and start a club. It was amazing to bring in something new and build excitement around Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We are also reviving our school garden and exploring the science of plant life cycles. We will be starting up our no-cost STEM after school club soon. I'd love to bring in new STEM elements and offer the student new exciting STEM resources. We will be having a school-wide STEM family night event Nov 14th. It would be great if the students could showcase their designs at the event. I hope the 3D printer will spark interest in STEM and inspire our students to explore STEM higher education and careers in the future."
Wish Amount: $1199.00
Connie Wins Again
Long time Lottery player and retired Gem County Treasurer, Connie Goins, has done it again. In late September, Connie won a $50,000 Powerball Double Play prize from the same set of numbers she has played for two decades.
Double Play on Powerball is a new feature that enters a player’s numbers into a second draw on Powerball Draw nights. For $1 extra per play, players win prizes on a second set of numbers drawn, up to $10 million. Connie’s winning ticket had the Double Play feature and matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball selected for the Double Play draw, which earned her $50,000.
This is Connie’s fourth significant win on Powerball since the late 1990s when she and her late husband Geno won $100,000. After Geno passed, Connie found his old play slips and began playing Powerball from those. Not long after, she won $200,000 on Powerball. Three years later, Connie won again, claiming a $1500 prize using the same sets of numbers.
During an interview with KIVI in Boise over the summer, Connie told the show’s producers she believed she was going to win Double Play, the new Powerball feature. Two months later, using the same numbers, Connie did indeed win again – on Double Play!
“People always ask me how I do it, how I win so often,” said Connie with a smile when she claimed her prize. “The answer is simple: I play. You have to play if you want to win. And I am really glad I started adding the Double Play to my tickets.”
According to Connie, she plays a five-line ticket with numbers that were all selected by her late husband. Line one is the line that won both the $100,00 and $200,000 prizes. Line two won the $1,500 prize. Line five was lucky for this Double Play win of $50,000.
“I just need lines three and four to win now, and the ticket will be complete!” laughed Connie as she claimed her winnings with her family in Boise.
Retired from her duties as the Gem County Treasurer, Connie plans to keep her winnings to help with retirement.
2024 CW New Plymouth Steers
Date: October 2024
School: New Plymouth Elementary
Wish Delivered: Classroom Snack Supplies
Teacher Felicity Steers says "Today I am asking for a refrigerator, microwave, keyboard, and mouse. The refrigerator and microwave will be used by all students and me, while the keyboard and mouse will be used just by me. I live in a small rural community where, unfortunately, not all students are able to come to school with what they need to be healthy and successful. Frequently, I have students complaining of headaches, hunger, or thirst and yet don't come to school with appropriate food or water bottles. I would love to get a few items to help promote healthy lifestyle choices in my classroom."
Wish Amount: $422.46
Idaho Lottery Celebrates Two-Time Winner Sandy Pickrel with $70,000 Big Spin Win
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – It’s been ten years to the month since Sandy Pickrel, Caldwell, first won the Idaho Lottery. But for Pickrel, it was worth the wait as she struck it lucky a second time! Before a gathering of friends, family, and curious onlookers at Boise Towne Square, Sandy spun the Idaho Lottery’s Big Spin wheel and claimed $70,000.
Sandy’s win began earlier in October when she decided to play the Big Spin while visiting her local Maverik store in Caldwell. “I hadn’t played Big Spin in a while, so I thought I’d give it a try again,” she explained. “This is really unbelievable.”
Today’s win marks Sandy's second big victory with the Idaho Lottery, making her one of the luckier players in the state. Her previous win was $100,000 on the game Idaho Bingo in October 2014.
Sandy does not have too many plans for her winnings yet, other than treating her family to some memorable experiences.
This is the third Big Spin prize in the fourth edition of the popular game from the Idaho Lottery. There are three top prizes in this edition remaining.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Debra Parsons
Popular Idaho Lottery Raffle Game Returns Today with Two $1,000,000 Prizes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle is one of the most widely anticipated games from the Idaho Lottery every year. This marks the eighteenth year for the popular, annual holiday Lottery game that features two guaranteed top prizes of $1,000,000. Sales on the game began this morning at 4:00 a.m. Mountain Time. Just like last year, there are only 450,000 tickets at $10 each for this year’s Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle and when they’re gone, they’re gone.
“Players should get their tickets early because this popular game does sell out fast,” said Andrew Arulanandam, Idaho Lottery Director. “The Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle has been making millionaires in Idaho every year since 2007. Last year we made two new millionaires, and this year will do so again.”
Last year’s version of the game sold out on the Saturday after Thanksgiving on November 25th after just 36 days on the market. It was the fastest selling Raffle game ever offered by the Idaho Lottery.
Besides the TWO guaranteed top prizes of $1,000,000, there are over 17,800 additional prizes ranging from $15 up to $10,000. The Raffle features 15 daily, $1,000 winners drawn during the first 15 days of sales chosen at random from the previous day’s sales. The game also features eighteen $1,000 prizes for players who purchase one of the eighteen tickets sold once every 25000 tickets (tickets numbered 025000, 050000, etc.).
Players who win one of the eighteen 25000th tickets or one of the first fifteen days’ $1,000 prizes must claim their prize at the Idaho Lottery offices in Boise. Their ticket will also remain eligible to win additional prizes in the Raffle, including the $1,000,000 top prizes.
Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle tickets will remain on sale until December 29, 2024, at 11:59 pm Mountain Time or until ticket 450,000 is sold.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Brandon Radford
Timothy Arnold
2024 CW East Canyon Elementary Faille
Date: October 2024
School: Edahow Elementary School
Wish Delivered: Classroom chairs and supplies
Teacher Amber Faille says "This year we are busting at the seams with 34 students in our 4th grade classrooms, and I have more students in my little classroom than desks and chairs that fit their body sizes! One thing we desperately need are chairs that fit 4th grade students. Our school is over 50 years old and was built without adequate storage so storage items would be really helpful! . Our classroom really needs things to engage students in rigorous learning. Books, clipboards, markers, pencils, folders, recognition items, etc. are all things that make a classroom more inviting and engaging for students."
Wish Amount: $3,140
2024 Canyon Springs Alternative High Jamtaas
Date: October 2024
School: Canyon Springs Alternative High School
Wish Delivered: Classroom radios and security supplies
Teacher Jamie Jamtaas says "Canyon Springs Alternative School offers a different educational environment for its students than a traditional high school. We cater to the needs of our students who benefit from the non-traditional approach to learning. Our school focuses on addressing specific needs, preferences, and/or challenges that the traditional high school does not fully accommodate. We do all of this while maintaining the safety of our staff and students and with very little budgeted to us annually"
Wish Amount: $4,010
BELIEVING IN WINNING
Long-time Idaho Lottery player and four-time top prize winner Aurelia Sproule has a simple philosophy for playing the Lottery: Believe in winning and you will.
She shared her philosophy when she claimed the first top prize in the new InstaPlay Game Deal Me In, a prize worth $421,359 from a ticket she purchased at the Base Camp River Run in Ketchum.
“I see people come in all the time to the store and buy a ticket, but they say, “I probably won’t win.” That’s not the way to play. You have to believe you will win, and then you will,” explained the four-time winner. “I keep playing and I believe I will win, and I do.”
About once every two years Aurelia visits the Lottery in Boise with a big winning ticket. She plays regularly at both Base Camp locations in Ketchum. She plans to save most of her winnings.
The Base Camp River Run location in Ketchum is quickly becoming one of the luckiest retailers in Idaho. In addition to selling her Deal Me In winner, the lucky store also sold the top winning ticket from the 2021 Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle. Aurelia’s other big winners have come from the Base Camp Warm Springs location in Ketchum.
2024 CW New Plymouth Middle Gustin
Date: October 2024
School: New Plymouth Middle School
Wish Delivered: Feminine products
School counselor David Gustin says "Last year at the end of year we implemented "Days for Girls" a program that specifically focuses on helping schools get feminine products in the school bathrooms. Research has shown that if feminine products are available at schools, girls' school attendance increases. I was given a generous donation last year when we implemented the program to help our school with supplying the girls with pads but I haven't found a consistent resource yet to be able to fund us for period products."
Wish Amount: $1,149
2024 CW Chief Tahgee Sowell
Date: October 2024
School: Edahow Elementary School
Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies
Teacher Lorinda Sowell says "These items will help my students to have materials available in the classroom. These are items that we use as a class on a daily basis. During the year as we run out of these items It is sometimes hard for parents to purchase more items for their students. Most of these items will be for future classroom use. It would be nice to have these items available for students to have and use as the year goes and having things available when needed makes things a lot easier for me as a teacher and also for my parents."
Wish Amount: $447.97
2024 CW Edahow Elementary Hobson
Date: October 2024
School: Edahow Elementary School
Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies
Teacher Samantha Hobson says "I am reaching out with an earnest plea for support to enhance the learning environment for my young students. As an educator deeply passionate about fostering a love for learning, I am requesting a grant to acquire essential materials that will significantly enrich our classroom experience and support our kindergarteners in their educational journey."
Wish Amount: $618.73
Grace Grywczynski
Mackay Man’s “Brain Blown” Winning $1,000,000
BOISE, Idaho – Alexander Higbee, Mackay, has a simple philosophy for life: live for the moment. On Monday, that moment found him in Boise claiming $1,000,000 from an Idaho Lottery Scratch ticket he purchased last week on his way home from work at Jack’s Travel Plaza in Arco.
“I stopped into Jack’s to buy a few lotto tickets, Powerball, Mega Millions, and thought, I’ve got some extra cash, so I picked up a couple of tickets,” explained Higbee on how he got his tickets. “I don’t play those big tickets that often, but I thought, why not, let’s go for it.”
One of the tickets he purchased was Millionaire Maker, a $50 scratch ticket.
“My $20 ticket didn’t win. I won $300 on my $30 ticket. I didn’t think if I won on my $50 ticket, it would surpass the $300 especially when I didn’t win in the bonus area on the ticket,” described Higbee on how he played the ticket. “Then I saw I matched the number 49 to a winning number - 49. THEN I saw the prize amount was $1,000,000.”
He stopped in the middle of his description, still in awe of the winning moment, and after a long pause offered, “Brain. Blown! Pwooff!” he exclaimed in disbelief as he stood holding his winning check. “Surreal moment.”
Higbee plans to pay off debts, invest in a new vehicle, and help family with his winnings. He still plans to continue working and playing the Lottery.
Jack’s Travel Plaza in Arco receives a bonus of $20,000 for selling the winning ticket.
The Idaho Lottery has paid more than $5.6 million in top prizes since July 1, 2024.
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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY
The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold over $5.8 billion in products, awarded more than $3.7 billion in prizes to players, returned $342 million in retail commissions, and distributed $1.273 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.
Alexander Higbee
Chemistry in Caldwell
The Idaho Lottery made a back-to-school Classroom Wishlist delivery at Tanya Gunter’s Caldwell High School Chemistry class. As an older school, critical science lab equipment is in disrepair or short supply.
With many students passionate about science, the classroom lab experience lacked the essential resources to fully engage them with hands-on, inquiry-based learning. That’s where the Idaho Lottery stepped in, providing a complete overhaul of the equipment and testing supplies necessary for a high school chemistry and biology lab. This included chemistry lab kits, calculators, hot plates, scales, a chemistry oven, digital thermometers and testing supplies.
“We will be able to investigate and explore real world science applications in a safe, state-of-the art learning lab setting,” said Tanya. “This will really make a difference in our student’s lives.”
After the presentation, as the team of Lottery personnel were leaving, one young student approached the group and offered very sincerely, “Thank you. Thank you for supporting people like me and everyone at my school.”
“By engaging with real-world problems, students will develop critical thinking skills, increase their interest in STEM fields and be better prepared for college and career opportunities,” added Tanya.
So far this Fiscal Year, the Idaho Lottery has returned $40,836 for school needs through Classroom Wishlist. If you know a teacher or a school in need, have them visit idaholottery.com/wishlist to apply.
Connie Goins-legg
CDA Winner Claims Final 35th Anniversary $35,000 Prize
Generally, good things happen on your birthday and for those who wait. Such was the story with Dawn Collins who knew she had a $35,000 winning 35th Anniversary Scratch ticket but had to wait over three weeks to visit Boise and claim her prize.
“We went to Piggies to get a newspaper, coffee, and scratch tickets one morning before my birthday,” said Dawn about buying her winning ticket. “I got the ticket, played it, and when I saw what looked like it had won $35,000, I just didn’t believe it. This can’t be!”
Dawn had her husband double-triple check the ticket. “I wanted to make sure that what I was seeing was real!” she exclaimed.
It was real. And then came the wait. Dawn’s driver’s license expired on her birthday, right around the time she bought the ticket. Needing a valid driver’s license to claim her prize, Dawn had to wait three weeks to renew the license with the Department of Motor Vehicles and have it mailed to her. Once that was taken care of, she made her way to Boise in mid-September to claim her prize.
While convinced her win was real for over three weeks, she still admitted to being nervous when she claimed her prize. “I usually only win $20, so this is a lot bigger! My palms are all sweaty and my hands are shaking!”
“We’re going to solve our car issues with the winnings,” she said when she received her winning check.”
Dawn’s winning ticket was sold at Piggie’s Deli Food Mart on Sherman in Coeur d’Alene.
With Dawn’s win, all the top prizes for all the Idaho Lottery’s 35th Anniversary games have been claimed.
2024 CW Kootenai Classical Academy Bartly-Kreyssler
Date: September 2024
School: Kootenai Classical Academy
Wish Delivered: Overhead Projector
Teacher Jessica Bartley-Kreyssler says "An overhead projector will allow students to see video to support their learning. The projector will allow students to share work complete tasks together and engage with their learning across all topics."
Wish Amount: $525
Lindsey Magill
Aurelia Sproule
Amber Shoemaker
2024 CW Caldwell High Gunter
Date: September 2024
School: Caldwell High School
Wish Delivered: Science Lab Supplies
Teacher Tanya Gunter says "These supplies will transform our science program, allowing students to actively participate in experiments and understand scientific concepts through practical application. By engaging with real-world problems, students will develop critical thinking skills, increase their interest in STEM fields, and be better prepared for college and career opportunities. Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of our students. With these essential science supplies, we can provide a more engaging, effective, and inspiring education. Thank you for considering our request to enhance the science learning experience at Caldwell High School."
Wish Amount: $9,218.91
2024 CW Filer Intermediate Massie
Date: September 2024
School: Filer Intermediate School
Wish Delivered: Art supplies for calming corner
Teacher Hailey Massie says "I would like to create a calming corner within my classroom. As a child, I had severe anxiety due to my home life. I see myself in a few of my students. I want to be able to help them and provide a space that will allow them to work through the emotions they are feeling. Mental health plays such a huge role in the lives of our youth. I would like to support my students to the best of my ability. This calming corner and the items listed above will allow my students to thrive. They will understand that we all have emotions to work through, and it's okay if you need help learning to work through them."
Wish Amount: $892.20
2024 CW Glenns Fairy Chesser
Date: September 2024
School: Glenns Ferry School District
Wish Delivered: Classroom Supplies
Teacher Lynette Chesser says "I have been teaching first grade for 14 years. The past 4 years I have been using Whole Brain Teaching strategies in the classroom. This year I would like to create a more engaged classroom by implementing more strategies from Whole Brain Teaching. Whole Brain Teaching is an instructional approach that aims to keep students engaged throughout lessons by using game-like challenges. Some strategies will be a whole group while others will be individual. The 30 second dance party-button will be used to celebrate individual student's improvement. Students will have a goal they are working to achieve such as, completing assignments without visiting with peers, cleaning up without being asked, reading more words per minute, completing assignments that they previously struggled with, Etc. The finger hand tally counter will be used in a variety of ways as well, students can track their own behaviors, or the teacher could count the number of times a desired behavior occurs to track progress in reducing a behavior. The benefit is the teacher can do it without drawing attention to the behavior. The scoreboard will be used to help tally whole class expectations. This will help promote healthy competition as well as enhancing a positive classroom environment. I'm excited to implement more WBT strategies this year."
Wish Amount: $79.96
2024 CW Kimberly Middle Landers
Date: September 2024
School: Kimberly Middle School
Wish Delivered: School Desks
Teacher Christine Landers says "The student tables in my classroom are very old and falling apart. They are mismatched and difficult to arrange without a leg coming loose. The tables make it difficult for my growing 6th graders to collaborate in groups of more than two students. Our small school district does not have funds in the budget to replace the worn-out tables, so we have been trying to use them carefully and make do. I am requesting funds to purchase the Shapes School Desks which are ergonomically designed and can easily be arranged in a variety of ways for small to large groups as well as individual workstations. These desks would provide fun, flexible seating and foster greater student engagement by increasing focus and participation in classroom activities."
Wish Amount: $3,527.85
Roberta Frazier
Nancy Sieger
Dawn Collins
Gricelda Burt
Jennifer Burleson
Idaho Falls Winner Will Become Debt Free
Jonny Werner went from being a $50,000 winner to a quarter-millionaire in an instant.
When Werner arrived at the Idaho Lottery office in Boise in late August, he believed he had won $50,000 on his Powerball ticket. A regular player, Werner says he likes to play Powerball when he can and typically lets the terminal pick his numbers.
The Saturday evening before his arrival in Boise, he was in the Maverik on Woodruff in Idaho Falls picking up a few more tickets. He asked the clerk to check his previous tickets for any winners. The clerk did, then returned one of the tickets telling him, “I can’t check this one, you’ll have to take it to Boise.”
After anxiously awaiting his trip, when the moment came, he strolled into the Idaho Lottery lobby confident he had won $50,000. When Idaho Lottery Customer Service scanned his ticket, they informed him that he had not won $50,000. He actually had won $250,000.
“I forgot about the automatic multiplier, PowerPlay,” he said both surprised and excited at the extra $200,000 he had just won in an instant.
PowerPlay is a multiplier on all Idaho Lottery Powerball tickets that multiplies non-jackpot winning prizes up to 10 times, depending on the number selected for the draw. For Werner, the number from the winning draw was 5, making his $50,000 winner a $250,000 winner.
Werner, a long-time cabinet installer of 38 years, plans to keep working but did say he was going to pay off his bills and be “debt free!”
“I mean, I’m going to pay off my house, my car and be able to afford a nice vacation,” exclaimed Werner.
2024 CW Peregrine Clements
Date: September 2024
School: Peregrine Elementary
Wish Delivered: Dramatic Play Center Supplies
Teacher Jennifer Clements says "My special education preschool students learn best through play. Beefing up our dramatic play center will be great for my students! Most important is the language component: many of my students are nonverbal and need repeated opportunities to learn and practice new words. The dramatic play materials will give them these chances and allow them to learn new words specific to situations they will encounter in their real lives. The more items we have that match items they see outside of school, the easier it will be for them to make connections, use the items, and use nouns, verbs, and adjectives when talking about them (Apple! Red apple! Cut red apple!)"
Wish Amount: $2,050.96
2024 CW Centennial High Axtell
Date: September 2024
School: Centennial High
Wish Delivered: Math Class Supplies
Teacher Michelle Axtell says "As a first year teacher these items would be greatly appreciated. I would love to have some flexible seating options for my students. The books would be a great start to my classroom library. The STEM items would be great for the students to engage, explore, and use their creativity. These items will help me get my classroom set up and ready for the new school year. I am really looking forward to the start of my career as an elementary school teacher. My students would really benefit from the items on my Wishlist."
Wish Amount: $1,262.55
Susan Minges
Valley View Elementary in Bonners Ferry Receives STEM Supplies
The Idaho Lottery granted two Valley View Elementary third-grade teachers with their wish for STEM activities and supplies.
The two teachers — Shelly Hoisington and Kelsey Rice — decided to apply for the Classroom Wishlist award after attending a summer STEM conference sponsored by Boise State University.
"The conference provided a lot of information and hands-on learning opportunities," Hoisington said. "We learned a multitude of strategies designed to integrate STEM into various subject areas and came home ready to implement them."
While they were excited to turn their new teaching ideas and skills into reality for their students, they lacked the necessary resources to do so. They applied for and received a Classroom Wishlist award for $3,435 for STEM carts that include games, puzzles, engineering kits, and building materials.
Although the award was written with third graders in mind, Hoisington said the items and materials are available to all teachers at the school. The STEM activity items and materials are kept on two rolling carts and can easily be moved from classroom to classroom.
"Bringing STEM into the classroom will encourage students to think, create, and explore," she added. "Hands-on experiences offered to students allow them to think outside of the box and build a foundation of strong critical thinking skills. The activities provided will also promote collaboration and communication among peers as they work together to solve problems."
2024 LYS Adams Elementary Vest
September 2024
Adams Elementary,
Boise
Donated By: Dennis Vest
Craig Jenne
Lynda Fengler
2024 CW Rigby Middle Wagoner
Date: August 2024
School: Peregrine Elementary
Wish Delivered: Dramatic Play Center Supplies
This wishlist is assisting teacher Whitney Wagoner in creating a better learning space for their extended resource classroom at Rigby Middle school. Students in the classroom range from moderate to severe disabilities including cognitive impairment, and receive extra help behaviorally, academically and social emotionally. The wishlists includes learning resources, supplies for arts and crafts, and furniture to allow students to feel more comfortable in their learning environment.
Wish Amount: $1,618.85
Emma White wins $50,000 for college
After graduating high school in Idaho Falls a year ago, Emma White made the move to Boise and attended Boise State to study pre-veterinarian medicine.
A year after starting college at BSU, she found herself wanting to take a semester off, work just one job, and save money for when she returns to the classroom.
Just a few days shy of her 19th birthday, Emma was visiting home and bought at a $5 Redline Cashword Scratch ticket from the KJs on Broadway in Idaho Falls.
“I can’t believe I won. This really helps. At one point last year, I was going to school full-time and working three different jobs to help pay my expenses,” described Emma. “I’m going to put the money aside and save as much as I can for when I return to school.”
Emma promised not to use her winnings on more Scratch tickets, saying she was only planning on playing her dad’s $5, but the next game she’s hoping to win? The Big Spin!
Mary Lien
35th Anniversary 2nd Chance Winner Ron Black
After winning the final 2nd chance draw from the Idaho Lottery’s 35th Anniversary Games, Ron Black, from Boise, decided that perhaps it was time to retire his well-worn, VIP Club card. Ron was the final winner of the monthly draws, claiming $52,712 from a jackpot that started at $3,000 on July 1 and grew until the end of the month.
Ron is a long-time Idaho Lottery VIP Club player. He regularly participates in the Lottery’s Sweepstakes and 2nd Chance drawings.
“I wasn’t interested in being one of the Cake Finalists,” said Ron referring to the five finalists at the Lottery’s 35th Anniversary Celebration at The Village in Meridian in July. “I had been saving my tickets for the final month and entered them all at once.”
The strategy paid off as he became the sixth 2nd Chance jackpot winner for the 35th Anniversary games. When he arrived at the Lottery Office, Ron was equally excited to replace his VIP Club card as he was to claim his cash prize.
“It has become difficult to scan at the stores,” said Ron as Lottery Customer Service produced a new VIP Club card for him while he was there. Still, Ron planned to keep the old card. “I’m going to take it home and put it with the big check as a little memento.”
Ron is hoping the prize money will provide a bit of cushion for him and will be able to help his three daughters.
With the 35th Anniversary Games winding down, the next game Ron is looking forward to is playing The Big Spin!
Tate Singer
Jason Ingram
Summer Kremer
Emma White
Greg Fields
2024 CW Star Elementary Rodriguez
Date: August 2024
School: Star Elementary
Wish Delivered: Flexible Seating & STEM Supplies
Teacher Rebecca Rodriguez says "As a first year teacher these items would be greatly appreciated. I would love to have some flexible seating options for my students. The books would be a great start to my classroom library. The STEM items would be great for the students to engage, explore, and use their creativity. These items will help me get my classroom set up and ready for the new school year. I am really looking forward to the start of my career as an elementary school teacher. My students would really benefit from the items on my Wishlist."
Wish Amount: $1550.00
2024 CW New Plymouth Elementary Cherry
Date: August 2024
School: New Plymouth Elementary
Wish Delivered: Flexible Seating
Teacher Tiffany Cherry says "In today's dynamic educational landscape, it is increasingly recognized that traditional classroom setups may not fully meet the diverse needs of students. Flexible seating offers a solution by providing a variety of seating options that can accommodate different learning styles, promote student engagement, and foster a more conducive learning environment. This grant would help to implement flexible seating in our classroom, aiming to enhance the educational experience and support the development of our students."
Wish Amount: $903.95
35TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT THE VILLAGE
On a hot Friday afternoon in July, the Idaho Lottery marked its 35th Anniversary at The Village in Meridian. The celebration came with all the accoutrements one might expect like balloons, cakes, presents, prizes, and live music from local favorite, The Diamond Empire Band!
Center stage was the second chance Cake Final, where five finalists, who entered their non-winning 35th Anniversary Scratch tickets on the Lottery’s VIP Club, were selected to dive into cakes searching for a small tube with their prize inside. Every finalist was assured of winning at least $1,000. After frantically tearing through their cakes and decimating their four tier masterpieces, Evan Crawford from Nampa was the last to find his prize but ended up the biggest winner. He claimed $10,000 for his efforts!
Evan plans to use his winnings to pay off two car loans and then play a few more Scratch tickets.
There was a cake decorating contest won by Carina Lopez who made her 35th Anniversary-themed cake in five minutes to claim a $100 gift card from Fred Meyer. Cakes for the contest were donated by Fred Meyer.
And Jeremy Welden won the Scratch-off contest with the slimmest of margins to claim $100 in 35th Anniversary Scratch tickets.
Hundreds of people braved the extreme heat to participate, buying tickets at the Lottery booth and catching the Idaho Lottery deliver a record $84 million to the People of Idaho and Governor Brad Little.
Here’s to the first 35 years and to the next 35 years ahead!
2024 CW Valley View Elementary Hoisington
Date: July 2024
School: Valley View Elementary
Wish Delivered: STEM Supplies
Teacher Shelly Hoisington says "Let STEM roll into our classrooms! STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) carts in classrooms provide teachers with unique opportunities to integrate STEM activities throughout the curriculum and encourage students to think, create, and explore. As a Title I school most of our students have limited resources outside the classroom that promote STEM education. Access to STEM carts will offer our students a multitude of engaging and educational experiences. The games, puzzles, engineering kits, and building materials included in each cart will promote hands-on learning and enhance foundational skills in all areas of STEM education. Presented with these activities students will develop critical thinking skills, creativity, problem solving techniques, and encourage positive communication and collaboration among peers. Additionally, STEM carts will allow for differentiated instruction assisting teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners. Having easy access to portable STEM carts will provide high quality STEM education, enrich all areas of the curriculum and better prepare our students for future success in all areas of academics."
Wish Amount: $3,435.52
