SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — A Southeast Boise parent's lottery luck turned into a $1,000 prize for Timberline High School through the Idaho Lottery's Love Your School program.
The Idaho Lottery's monthly drawing allows VIP Club members to cash in points to enter for a chance to direct $1,000 to a public school of their choice, while the winner receives $100 worth of scratch tickets.
Timberline High School Principal Chad Wright received an unexpected phone call from the Idaho Lottery about the donation.
"They just asked me if they would be able to come out and present a check. Knowing that it was donated and it was by a parent that was amazing," Wright said.
The funds will provide teachers with additional classroom flexibility for projects and materials not originally budgeted.
"Whether it be in our art department, 'hey, can we do another project and we bring those materials in that weren't budgeted to start with,' that's what's great is because we have funds now that we can do some of these other opportunities that we weren't planning on before," Wright said.
WATCH: How a Southeast Boise high school hit the jackpot with a parent's lucky entry
In its second year, the Love Your School program has donated $23,000 statewide. Timberline is the fifth campus in the Boise School District to receive funds through the program. The other schools include Taft Elementary, Adams Elementary, Jefferson Elementary and Frank Church High School.
"Our players know really well that we benefit schools, but they also like to help as well. They like to know that their contributions are meaningful to the schools, and that's what really makes a big difference for us," Workman said.
Wright emphasized that community partnerships strengthen schools beyond the classroom.
"Any time we work with communities, that's just building the school stronger. We work inside of it mostly, but it's really the partnerships outside of it, it's the families, it's what really builds a strong school culture," Wright said.
VIP Club members can nominate any Idaho public school to participate in the Love Your School program. Participants must be 18 or older to join the Idaho Lottery.
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