Alger County Educator Wins Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on March 24, 2026 by MI-Lottery
Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Victoria Hill with her Excellence in Education check.

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Victoria Hill with her Excellence in Education check.

An Alger County educator who is known for advocating for her students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Victoria Hill, is a fourth-grade teacher at Superior Central School. The school is part of the Superior Central School District.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Hill will air this evening.

Hill said she was driven to a career in education because of her love of children.

“I have always loved working with kids. I truly believe they are the best part of our world because of their goodness and pure hearts. I was drawn to education because it is about so much more than academics. It is about helping kids feel like they matter and that they are capable. I wanted a career where I could make a real difference in children’s lives.”

Hill was nominated for the award by the parent of a student.

“Mrs. Hill was my son’s fourth-grade teacher last school year. My son has been in special ed and has struggled with reading and spelling since he started school. Mrs. Hill was able to introduce numerous accommodations including teaching him how to use talk to text, advocating for an alternate spelling list, and reading assignments, quizzes, and tests to him when needed. She also introduced him (and me) to the Red Rhino books, so he was able to read chapter books that were written at his delayed reading level. She was able to instill confidence in him and always focused on his strengths. She is excellent at time management, and I am in awe of all the extra, individualized attention she was able to give him. She really cares about each of her students and I’m forever grateful for all she did to help my son grow and excel last year.”

Hill earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. She has been an educator for five years, the last four in her current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
  • Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
  • Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
  • Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
  • Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
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Kent County Man Wins $1 Million Playing Michigan Lottery’s Electric 100s Instant Game

Posted on March 18, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Winning TicketA late-night stop at a Wesco gas station led to a Kent County man cashing in on a $1 million prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s Electric 100s instant game.

“I stopped at the Wesco station late one night to cash in a winning Lottery ticket,” said the 31-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “I won $20, so I put $10 in my pocket and bought one Electric 100s ticket.

“I scratched the ticket in the store and when I saw that I had won $1 million, I started screaming! It’s a good thing no one else was in the store, because they would have thought I was going insane!”

The player bought his lucky ticket at the Wesco gas station, located at 211 North Main Street in Cedar Springs. Cedar Springs is about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids. He recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. He chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $693,000 rather than annuity payments for the full amount. He plans to buy a new car and then save the remainder.

“Winning $1 million is life changing and means I can do what I want to do,” the player said.

Players have won more than $30 million playing Electric 100s, which launched in June 2025. Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million. More than $17 million in prizes remain, including one $1 million top prize and 53 $1,000 prizes.

In 2024, Lottery players won nearly $1.8 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

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Oakland County Educator Wins Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on March 17, 2026 by MI-Lottery
Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Jeff Snody with his Excellence in Education check.

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Jeff Snody with his Excellence in Education check.

An Oakland County educator who is known for building confidence in his students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Jeff Snody, is a middle school science teacher at Sarah Banks Middle School. The school is part of Walled Lake Consolidated Schools.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Snody will air this evening.

Snody said he was driven to become an educator so he could help students reach their potential.

“When I was younger, I would help my friends when they were struggling in school. It was rewarding to help them overcome challenges and realize that with a little extra work, they could reach their true potential. That experience really impacted me in a positive way, and I knew I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. Helping students work through challenges and seeing the proud smiles of accomplishment is something that never gets routine or old. It really keeps me motivated to help students each day!”

Snody was nominated for the award by a student.

“Mr. Snody is the kind of teacher who changes lives. He does much more than teach lessons, he supports his students, builds their confidence, and makes school a better place for everyone. His kindness, hard work, and positive attitude make him stand out as an amazing teacher who truly deserves recognition. He always takes time to help anyone who needs it. If a student is struggling, he never gives up on them. He explains things clearly, gives extra help when needed, and makes sure every student understands the material. He listens, he encourages, and he makes each student feel important. In his classroom, everyone feels accepted, respected, and supported. Mr. Snody also plays a big role in the school community. He helps other teachers, joins school events, and supports students outside of class. Whether he’s giving advice, cheering students on, or simply being there when someone needs him, he always shows that he cares. His positive attitude makes the school a better, friendlier place. Teachers like Mr. Snody are rare. He is fun, understanding, and dedicated. He believes in his students and helps them believe in themselves. His actions make a real difference every single day.”

Snody earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree from Marygrove College. He has been an educator for 28 years, the last 27 in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
  • Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
  • Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
  • Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
  • Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
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Tuscola County Woman Wins $3.98 Million Lotto 47 Jackpot from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on March 16, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Winning TicketA text from a family member led a Tuscola County woman to finding out she’d won a $3.98 million Lotto 47 jackpot from the Michigan Lottery!

The lucky player matched the six Lotto 47 numbers drawn – 17-25-34-37-39-42 – in the Feb. 21 drawing to win a $3.98 million jackpot. She bought the winning ticket at Bryan’s Market, located at 6002 North Lapeer Road in North Branch. North Branch is about 40 miles northeast of Flint.

“My husband and I have been playing Lotto 47 every week for years,” said the 63-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “The day after the drawing, we got a text from a family member that said a Lotto 47 jackpot winning ticket was sold at Bryan’s Market and asked if we were the big winners. Bryan’s Market is where we happened to buy our tickets that week, but we thought the odds that we were actually the big winners were slim.

“I grabbed several Lotto 47 tickets out of my wallet and started scanning them on the Michigan Lottery app. When I was about halfway through the pile, the screen lit up and $3.98 million came up on the scanner. I was in complete shock. It’s the kind of feeling that makes you want to break down and cry!”

The lucky player recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $2.7 million rather than annuity payments for the full amount. With her winnings, she plans to pay bills and live comfortably.

Each Lotto 47 play is only $1. Players select six numbers from one to 47 for a chance to win a jackpot starting at $1 million and that grows until someone wins it. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Lotto 47 ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $1.5 million in the nightly Double Play drawing. For an additional $1 per game, players may add EZMatch to their ticket for a chance to win up to $500 instantly. Lotto 47 drawings take place on Wednesday and Saturday at 7:29 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at a retailer or online at MichiganLottery.com until 7:08 p.m. on the day of the drawing.

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Wayne County Lottery Club Wins $200,000 Powerball Prize from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on March 13, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Bill Miller holding $200,000 checkThe family that plays together, wins together! At least that was the case for 26-year-old Bill Miller and his uncle, 60-year-old Kevin Edmond, who won $200,000 on a Powerball ticket they shared.

“I recently moved to Michigan for work and have been staying with my aunt and uncle,” said Miller. “In December, when the Powerball jackpot was getting huge, my aunt left a note out suggesting we buy a ticket, so I grabbed one on my way to work.

“I work nights, so the night of the drawing I was awake and checked the ticket around 3 a.m. As I was looking the ticket over and realizing what we had won, I went numb. I checked the ticket a few more times and just sat and waited for my aunt and uncle to wake up not believing what had happened was real.”

Winning TicketMiller and his uncle, the two members of the Bill Miller lottery club, matched four white balls and the Powerball – 23-35-59-63-68, PB: 02 – in the Dec. 15 drawing to win a $50,000 prize. Thanks to the Power Play, the prize was multiplied to $200,000. They bought the winning ticket at the Circle K gas station, located at 8069 22 Mile Road in Shelby Township.

Miller and his uncle plan to save their winnings.

“Winning is an unbelievable feeling,” said Miller. “It’s really hard to explain, but the best way I can put it is it’s like having the best dream you’ve ever had and waiting to wake up to see if it’s real.”

Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Powerball ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $10 million in the nightly Double Play drawing.

The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerball.com. Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

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