Local teachers in need of lottery scratch-off prizes

With bruised knuckles and sore fingers, the symphony of the annual Idaho Lottery’s “Scratch for Schools” event is usually the sound of laughter, hootin’ and hollerin’, and hundreds of scratchers making their way across rolls of scratch tickets.

But behind all of the fun, Lewis and Clark Elementary School first-grade teacher Emily Smith said there is a growing need for the winnings.

“A lot of resources still come from our own pockets along with other resources besides just the school district,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, our budgets are just getting smaller.”

Everything from markers to printer ink – Smith said now teachers are paying for a lot of everyday essentials in the classroom, with funding tight across the country.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 56 schools competed in Idaho Falls and another 54 in Pocatello, for $100,000 in needed funds that go straight back to local classrooms.

Whatever winnings they scratch, they are allowed to keep.

At the end of the first round, the teams who were able to scratch the most tickets are able to move on to the next round of competing for those cash winnings.