James July-August 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 71
E D UCAT I O N
T HE GEORG IA LOT T E RY’S
Transformative Impact
BY G R E TC H E N C O R B I N
ince the first ticket was
sold in 1993, the Georgia
Lottery Corporation has
been on a remarkable
journey, transforming
lives and communities across the
state. Your Georgia Lottery was
established with a clear purpose:
to fund educational programs for
Georgia’s students including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and
Georgia’s Pre-K Program. It’s these
important initiatives that provide
Georgia’s students with the opportunity to attain a quality education
from start to finish.
Our mission to maximize revenues for HOPE and Pre-K drives us
each day, as we work diligently to
return the greatest amount possible
to the state and Gov. Brian Kemp to
allocate to education.
Over the past three decades,
with the strong support of committed governors, legislators, boards of
directors and team members, the
Georgia Lottery has transferred $28
billion to the State Treasury’s Lottery
for Education Account. Fiscal year
2024 will mark our ninth consecutive
year transferring more than $1 billion
for HOPE and Pre-K. On average, we
raise more than $4.24 million each
day for education.
The HOPE (Helping Outstanding
Pupils Educationally) Scholarship Program has awarded nearly $15 billion
to more than 2.1 million Georgia students since its inception in 1993. In
the first year of the HOPE program,
$21 million was awarded to nearly
43,000 Georgia students. In fiscal
year 2023, the program has grown to
award $841 million to provide HOPE
scholarships and grants to more than
178,000 Georgia students.
Over the last 30 years, the HOPE
Program has grown to include six distinct programs targeted to help Georgians pursue an affordable post-secondary education while keeping our
students in the Peach State. The term
“HOPE Program” includes the HOPE
Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship,
HOPE Grant, Zell Miller Grant, HOPE
Career Grant, and the High School
Equivalency Examination Grant
Program (HSE). HOPE Programs are
offered at 79 Georgia public and private colleges and universities.
Additionally, two million of our
young learners have received a jumpstart to their education with Georgia
Lottery-funded, high-quality Pre-K. In
May, the governor signed the fiscal
year 2025 budget that includes an
influx of $97 million from the Lottery
for Georgia’s Pre-K Program. These
funds follow a deep dive by House
Speaker Pro-Temp Jan Jones and the
Working Group on Early Childhood
Education. It also increases money
for capital and operating costs and
reduces class sizes from 22 to 20.
The impact of HOPE and Pre-K
is so extensive that almost everyone
in Georgia knows someone who has
benefited from these programs. It’s
especially exciting that we’re now
seeing HOPE and Pre-K beneficiaries
of yesterday as the parents of HOPE
and Pre-K beneficiaries today.
These Georgia Lottery-funded
educational programs continue to
provide a strong foundation for Georgia’s growing workforce and play
a crucial role in driving the state’s
economy forward. A well-educated
workforce remains a key factor in
attracting and maintaining businesses. Companies looking to relocate or
expand seek regions with a pool of
highly skilled workers. The success
of HOPE and Pre-K sends a strong
signal to employers that Georgia is
an optimal location for business.
We understand that Georgia’s
students, families and communities
rely on the Georgia Lottery, and we
remain laser focused on our mission
and growth. We also have many
exciting new games and promotions
on the horizon that our players will
enjoy as a source of entertainment.
Our retailers are valued partners, providing an important link to
our consumers. We have several exciting retailer initiatives on our strategic calendar and in development
that will enhance the experience for
retailers and players.
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